Final Fantasy 8  Return of Hyne
by Ziegsy
Summary: Three months after escaping the time compression a shadow falls over the young sorceress once again. Will the orphange gang be able overcome the very being that created them? Or will they be forced to accept their once absent Gods' vengance?
1. Three Months On

**Chapter one: Three months on.**

_notes: This will mainly be a Squallfic. This is because I found him the easiest Character to identify with and expand on. All characters will be included and the story will shift to them from time to time to give a break from the 'hero'. I will include summaries in chapters I feel I have not done my best on and few can be skim-read and the plot will still be tangible._

Rinoa made her way across the dried plain. _'No flowers would grow here'_, she thought, _'Theres nothing but death'_. There was no power on heaven or earth that would have her leave Squall here. The humid air was stale and unmoving. It would take a lifetime to cross; and with no marks on the horizon, only her internal compass to guide her, it would seem to take even longer. Nevertheless she marched on; never stopping, never stalling. The dust kicked up by her boots hung in the air for a moment before settling back down pretty much where it had come from, not shifting, Her footprints forever visible in the unnatural stillness. To her surprise she found herself humming one of her mothers songs for reassurance, the words occasionally creeping out but nothing that resembled a full sentence. She'd repeated the second verse three times before she realised she wasn't sure how the song ended, despite the fact there was no one around to hear her she still felt foolish.

As she marched on into the distance, she swore she could feel him getting closer. Would she be able to see Squall coming? She paused for a moment and raised a hand to her eyes, scanning the horizon, making sure not to turn all the way around for fear she'd loose her direction. If he was near surely she would see him, the never moving air prevented any kind of dust storm. She turned to her right - There! a slight difference in the terrain, a dark smudge against the endless brown. Rinoa dropped her hand from her eyes and ran as fast as her tired legs would carry her. Even under the effect of haste it still took a few minutes before she was close enough to make out just what the smudge was, and when she could, she froze.

'Squall?'

She called out. Squall was lying, curled onto his side, in foetal position sound asleep. Rinoa smiled faintly and knelt beside him. He must be exhausted; judging by the dust on his trousers He'd been walking for some time.

'Squall? Squally?' Her voice cooing in a sing-song fashion. 'Time to wake up.' She lay a hand on his shoulder to rose him gently. He did not stir. 'Squall?' Rinoa hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek, knowing all too well it was unwise to startle a trained soldier into waking. The skin under her fingers was ice cold to the touch, the young sorceress panicked. 'Squall? Squall speak to me!' she rolled him over onto his back for a better view to study his face, to scan for any injury. Squall's eyes were closed; deep in shadow, His lips white and his skin the colour of ash. Below Rinoas touch there was no pulse. It was evident that he had been dead for some time before she had found him.

Tears rolled down Rinoas cheeks. 'Oh Squall!' She gathered him onto her lap, It nearly broke her to feel his dead weight, his cold back against her knees, to see his head lop lifelessly to one side. 'No, not you. Y-you promised me. You swore we'd see each other again!' Dust had clung to the trail of a single tear on his cheek.

'A tear?' She wiped it away with her thumb and smiled weakly. 'A tear of sorrow? of Pain? were you in pain?' a sob escaped her. 'Or was it regret?' The sob was reigned in and she stroked his hair. 'I'm so sorry. I...I failed you Squall. You couldn't find me? Did you wait here for me?' Teeth dug into her bottom lip, her own teeth, as she fought back fresh tears. She needed to concentrate; she would need to bring his body back home for burial, and it would take an awful lot of her magic to do so. Something moved in the back of Rinoas subconscious. Magic!

If medics could use magic to cure fatal wounds and revive unconscious patients, then surely, surely, someone of her powers would be able to bring him back to life? It was worth trying even if there was the smallest chance... Rinoa whipped a hand across her eyes, no time for tears now she needed to focus harder than she ever had before. Her fingers spread into a fan and willed her magic to flow to the tips. Much different from asking a GF to allow the correct magic to run through your body. Where the GF did the ground work in correctly angling the amount of magic needed and steering it onto its correct path and desired effect, she would have to will the magic to do the job she wanted it to perform. One wrong thought and she could just as easily be lighting Squalls' own funeral pyre. The mana tingled in her fingertips. 'Life.' she breathed.

There was no response, save for the faint motion of his hair swaying as if in a breeze as the magic flowed into him. More power! Rinoa furrowed her brow, concentrate! Once again she felt the tingling. 'Life!' The force flowed over into the ground, green shoots rose to meet the errant magic. Squalls' fingers twitched, his eyes flickered momentarily. Rinoa didn't allow herself the luxury of a cheer or to hope, it could be nothing more than his body expelling the foreign energy. She called up the last reserves of her power, from the very corners of her mind to the pit of her stomach she called, tugged, willed and scrapped for mana. 'LIFE!' she cried aloud.

Nothing happened for what seemed an age, That is until the ground began to shake. Loose stones tumbled away as the force of a billion flowers pushing their way to the surface cracked the earth. As far as the eye could see flowers were blooming into life, the action throwing their petals into the air an a myriad of coloured clouds. Rinoa was lifted slightly as the flora beneath her created a soft carpet. The air was suddenly alive with a million beautiful smells. But she took no notice, her mind fixed on the figure before her, if this had not worked she would be forced to will herself back into her own timeline without him, she no longer possessed the strength to bring his body home.

Squalls hand jerked. Twitched. Then his back arched as the muscles contracted, kick starting his heart with a surge of activity. His eyes snapped open and he gasped, filling his lungs with air.

Rinoa let out a cry of joy. 'Squall! it worked! You're alive!' Fresh tears ran from her eyes and this time not from sorrow. She had done it! Squall looked at his surroundings, trying to prop himself up on his elbows, crushing several flowers in the process. Rinoa would have complained but for now she didn't care, Squall was alive!

'No you don't.' She pressured him gently into laying back. 'You need rest, your brain and body need time to fully awaken again.' Standard procedure for reviving the unconscious. it seemed logical and the safest course to apply it here, after all She had no idea what would happen now she had brought someone back from the dead. How long would it take until he was ready to try and go back to his own time with her? He struggled weakly before resolving that resting was a good idea, his frown faded into a smile as he looked up at his saviour. 'Rinoa.' He murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper. He reached up to stroke her cheek and wipe the tears from her face. His fingertips barely brushed the skin when the smile died in his eyes, quickly replaced by one of pain. Rinoa held him to her crying out in concern. 'Squall? what is it? does it hurt?' But no matter how he tried he couldn't answer her with anything but rasping, choking sounds. His eyes rolled back and he clawed at his throat. He couldn't breathe! Rinoa gasped in panic as the flowers around them withered and died. Had the spell not stuck? Was the power of death stronger than that of life? had she brought Squall back only to watch as he was snatched from her again? What could she do? she desperately sought answers, but even if she had the strength left what on earth could she cast to prevent this?

Once more Squalls' back arched, this time accompanied by painful sounding cracks. Rinoa scampered back to safe distance though she wanted nothing more than to hold him to her. Something stretched and writhed beneath his shirt at the back. Rinoa lent over anxious to help anyway that she could, already blood spread along the ground behind him. Squalls' eyes snapped open. The steel blue replaced with black, the pupil however was crimson and shaped like a club from the card house. There was a quiet 'shick' sound followed by low growl from the back of the thing that had once been Squall's throat. He lept for her, his fingers closing around her neck, fingernails replaced with razor sharp claws.

Rinoa felt the claws sink into her flesh, the artery giving no resistance. She tried to speak but barely managed a whimper echoed with the gurgling of blood. Squalls lips parted, revealing thick lion or wolf like fangs. He lunged towards her neck teeth closing around the soft flesh. At once he was ripping, tearing, a hot crimson river flowed in great torrents down her chest; pooling in her lap, staining the Beasts chin. He was not drinking or eating, He was doing this solely for the glory of the kill. Rinoa couldn't hold on, the pain was blinding. her mind danced on the edge of unconsciousness and with the last of her she was able to breathe two words before falling into nothingness.

'Squall? Why?' Somewhere in the black a feral and gravely voice answered.

'Not Squall. Only...Griever.'

It was then that Rinoa Heartily sat bolt upright in bed, sweat glinting on her brow and chest.

She glanced around in the darkness. Even in the gloom the room was evidently very plush, as was befitting the presidential suite in Esthar palace. The silken sheets clung to the dampness on her skin, twisted around her body. The nightmare must of had her tossing and turning...The nightmare! One hand darted to her throat for an instant certain she'd feel the blood still running from the wound, but there was no wound. It had been nothing but a dream, if a very vivid one. Rinoa glanced to her right at the figure beside her. Even in the comfort and protection of his own room in his fathers house Squall hadn't been able to bring himself to go to bed naked; opting instead for a shirt and boxer shorts, both of which were visible as his lay half out from under the duvet. He lay just as he had in the dream only this time the rise and fall of his chest made it plain he was only sleeping. In the moonlight something glinted from the side of his bed. Of course, his gunblade, further testament to his untrusting nature.

Rinoa brushed the hair from her eyes and hugged her knees to her, the nightmare had shaken her terribly, and it had not been the first time she had been cursed with it since their return from the time compression nearly three months past. Normally the sleeping man beside her would have woken with a start at even the slightest whimper of a bad dream from Riona, one hand on his gunblade, the other on her shoulder, But not recently. She clicked on the bedside lamp raising a slight stir and a frown on the sleepers face, yet he slept on. How she envied him. He had the solid dreamless sleep of the exhausted and would not stir until his body was recovered from the long day. Rinoa couldn't help but to brush the bangs from his eyes, a place they now frequently invaded as his hair grew longer. She couldn't help but note in the pale light the deep shadows under his eyes. He snored faintly and this made her smile. It had been several weeks after the time compression before he finally slept, any time before that he would lay on his bed staring at the ceiling till the sun came up. His brain refused to let him even a moment of unconsciousness, lest he should fall into the void again. How easily a mind can be scarred, she thought. The SeeD had been on the brink of madness before confessing he needed help. Xu and Irvine had relieved him of command of Garden at Quistis' request and she had insisted he take himself off on vacation on the grounds he stopped by to visit Odine. He had done just that, Rinoa had dragged him to Esthar for a chance to get to know his father (much to Squalls' protestations. He had done without the man for eighteen years and did not need him now he reasoned. But she had him frogmarched there anyway saying it killed two birds with one stone. One he would be somewhere he didn't have to work and two Odine would be close at hand. Even Squall couldn't argue with this logic.) Odine had listened to what happened in a point by point recount from Rinoa and had Squall stay overnight for testing. In the end he prescribed sleeping pills and bed rest, Not to do anything that might overwork his already taxed brain.

'Jumping from one time to anuzer 'as obviously caused 'iz mind great distress! If 'iz subconscious believes it iz possible to fall back into ze compression if he fails to concentrate on the present zen it iz no vunder 'e cannot sleep! 'Iz Brain iz trying to anchor 'im here by keeping him alert at all times, Ve need to convince his addled little brain zat it iz zafe and he von't go floating through time again. The only vay to do this iz natural zleep or hypnotism based brain-vashing.' Rinoa grimaced at the glee that had shown on Odines' face when he mentioned the 'brain-washing.' Without a second thought she had him write out a prescription for sleeping tablets and put up with the good doctor telling her it would take months for him to readjust. She ignored his weekly attempts to get her to agree to the hypnotism when Squall had his check-up.

So now her loved one slept soundly, unaware of the ordeal she had just been through. Somehow, she prefered it that way. No need to worry him unduly for it had only been a dream. Feeling sticky and unclean with the cold sweat she decided to take a shower. Rinoa peeled back the sheets and swung her legs round to lift herself out of the bed. As she did so something tumbled to the floor with a faint 'click.'. Puzzled, she scooped whatever it was up and held it to the light. 'Where on earth did this come from?' She breathed. There, held in her hand, was a single, heavy set, palm-sized black feather.


	2. Honesty

**Chapter 2: Honesty.**

_Summery:Laguna has a proposition for the sorceress and her knight; and does Odine bare good tidings?_

_(Notes: I know theres one or two misplaced lower-case letters here. It will be fixed.)_

The kitchen of the palace did not look like what you'd expect. Instead of the grand gilded affair that the downstairs portrayed this kitchen would not look out of place in a farmhouse. In Fact if it wasn't for the great window looking over the city you'd think it was the middle of the countryside. The fourth floor of the palace was dedicated to matters of office. Full of 'primness and pompous old men.' as Laguna, squalls' estranged father, said whenever he was released from official duties. However the fifth floor was his own private dwellings. Great libraries flanked small and rustic kitchen and dining quarters. A lounge with a large TV and comfortable, if worn, chairs crowded round a large, pitted coffee table. Issues of magazines and films were scattered around including several that Laguna himself had either starred in or written. The only thing here aside from the libraries that even hinted that they still were inside a palace were the bedrooms. The bedrooms were grand and luxurious. Enormous queens sized beds sat atop a lake of soft deep-red carpet. The area around the bed was sunk into the floor. It was amidst the purple silk and cotton sheets that Squall slowly, and reluctantly, awoke. The sun lay across his chest warming him through the white shirt. Down filled pillows cradled his head and for a brief fleeting moment he allowed himself to relax, to be embraced by the comfort surrounding him.

The sound of running water brought him back to earth with a slap. He pushed himself to sit up and swing himself out of bed. This sounded like a simple action, but Squalls' body protested audibly in the form of a long groan. 'Squall? You awake?' Rinoa stepped into the room, light and fresh as a spring flower, the complete opposite of him in the morning. Squall smiled faintly and turned to face her. The smile Rinoa had meant for him when she stepped out of the en-suite failed her slightly, but she recovered. It was like looking into the dream again. Not the beast squall that woke her, but the ashen faced man with dark ringed eyes that looked at her looked almost as much a corpse as the body in her dream had done. He yawned and stretched, running a hand over his face to shake away the sleep. The spark of life seemed to return to him and once again he was himself in her eyes once more. The illusion may have lasted but a second, but it was long enough for Squall to notice. 'Is there something wrong, Rinoa?' Laughter was the reply and she shook her head.

'No, no. I'm fine. Just tired is all.' Squalls' eyes narrowed in concern.

'Another bad dream?' Rinoa shook her head, avoiding the subject.

'Get washed, dressed. Brush your hair if you wont have it cut will you?' She grinned, ' and come for breakfast.' He rolled his eyes at her and stood up, headed for the bathroom. She waited for him to pass him before placing a hand on his shoulder. 'Squall?' He turned, puzzled.

'What is it?' She leaned to him and planted a single kiss on his cheek.

'Its good to have you back.' she whispered, then left.

Breakfast was a simple affair of bacon omelettes hand made by Laguna himself. He'd come a long way in three months, this time virtually no egg remained stuck, burnt to the pan. Rinoa picked at hers like a bird while the man sat beside her, dressed in black jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt, ate as though he'd not seen food in days. Laguna sat to her left and watched, fork halfway to his mouth in amused surprise.

'Well,' He began. 'It would seem you've taken a liking to my cooking at last.' Squall shook his head, swallowing his current mouthful.

'I'm starving.' Was all He said. Rinoa looked to the older of the two men.

'It's those damn pills. They must do something to His metabolism, He always seems to wake up ravenous.' Laguna nodded sympathetically.

'Still having trouble sleeping, son?' Squall leveled him a glare that demonstrated his feeling on that particular term used in conjunction with him. Bridges there still not quite mended it would seem. Laguna coughed and tried again. 'S-Still having trouble sleeping, Squall?' The young man didn't answer, but instead went back to his omelet. Rinoa sighed deeply, this macho posturing she was used to but it still annoyed her somewhat. She knew part of her, well; boyfriend, she supposed, wanted to acknowledge this man, his father, into his life; but that it would take a bit more than a token gesture to completely earn his trust.

'Yes, he is. I was hoping Odine would be able to give us anything easier on him.' Another glare, this one aimed at her. it simply said I'm not that weak, I can take it. Laguna frowned.

'Odines' out of town again this week. something about a lecture overseas.' He bit the end of his fork thoughtfully. 'Though, He did leave something for you, Its on my desk in the office.' Rinoa looked at Squall.

'Probably the result of your last CT scan. We should get a look at that as soon as-' Squall stood up, a frown playing across his head like thunder.

'I'm not an invalid. I don't have to listen to you talk about me like one.' With that he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room.

'Squall!' Laguna called. Rinoa shook Her head.

'No, let Him go. I think all this time off is getting to Him.' She sighed, looking helpless. 'He doesn't like having to depend on people.' The man, so much like the person in question, nodded.

'Tell me about it.' Odines' diagnosis had worried everyone. had it been anyone else (alright, maybe not Zell...) a prescription of sleep and metal rest would have been easy. But Squalls' mind had never been rested. He sat on problems while they steamed over and over and He was not one to share what was bothering Him. It was likely He could be close to snapping, on the brink of madness of the sleep deprived that even tablets couldn't help. Then again, He could be just fine They would never know if He never spoke. Odine had seen round that though, a Brain without sleep would begin to degrade, pathways would close causing madness and eventually complete shut down of all functions. By scanning Squalls' brain every fortnight or so He could easily tell if Squall had been getting enough rest. Constant procedures and people checking up on Him did nothing to improve the SeeDs' mood. Though his Father tried to ease His sons' stay as much as possible by giving Him simply duties around the place like advising and helping Kiros and Ward, But all He had gotten in response was the occasional sigh or shake of the head.

'He's a teenager Laguna.' Kiros had reminded him. 'You missed out on all the nappy changing and tantrums, this is sort of making up for it. Hormones raging, He's taking it out on you, years of repressed angst.' Laguna sighed at his old friend. 'Since when did you become the expert?' Kiros laughed.

'It's an unwritten law.'

'Like how one sock always goes missing?' Kiros nodded.

'Exactly.' It was remembering these words that allowed Laguna to reign in His normally cheerful attitude away from the depressed old man He was very dangerously close to becoming.

'Damn parenting ages you.' He groaned. Rinoa chuckled slightly.

'You look good for it though, Least I know Squall wont be loosing His hair with age.'

'Speaking of age,' The man laughed brightly, his eyes alive again. 'I've been meaning to ask you both. Well best I should run it past you first, can never tell with him.' He nodded at the door that his son had stormed out of. 'What is it?' Rinoa refilled her orange juice, Laguna rubbed his chin.

'I've wanted to talk to you both about...well. Moving here permanently.' Rinoa choked loudly on her drink, it was the last thing she had been expecting. She knew Laguna had enjoyed having his son around but did not know He had adjusted to life as a father that completely. 'I've, and you must never tell Him this, but I've enjoyed having Him around, Reminds me of My Raine.' He smiled. 'The best thing I've ever done, and well I worry about him. He can't go back to SeeD as He is, battle might send him back the way he was. And,well, I'm getting on in years. I've been meaning to look for a successor - and the people have voted more than once that they will accept anyone I recommend. I just well...' through bit of orange Rinoa manged to cough out,

'You want Squall to be president?' Laguna slapped the table.

'Exactly! I-if you think He'd even consider-' The girl interrupted.

'I don't know, I'd, I would have to have a word with him. He might find it easier coming from me.' She sighed sadly. 'I think He still has heart set on returning to service.'

'That is what I was afraid of.' A hand was passed through his greying hair as he thought. 'Still, it's worth a try. Would you please talk with him.' Rinoa stood up.

'I'll have a word with Him laguna.' She placed a hand on his shoulder. 'But I can't promise anything.' With this she walked out of the kitchen, leaving Laguna to collect the plates. The air conditioned hallway was silent. No obvious guards were posted here, Oh there were guards, Just out of sight. Rooms behind paintings of Winhill and Raine that laguna and commissioned or acquired over the years, hidden from view yet only a few inches away in case of emergency. The carpets absorbed her footsteps as Rinoa made her way to the office, sunlight spilling over onto the carpet from windows that looked over the courtyard. She enjoyed life here in Esthar, Certainly she would prefer to be back in Timber, maybe with Squall if he would have it, but here was a close second. The silence was only occasionally broken by the whooshing sound of the lift running past. Even on the presidents private floor people came too and fro between the office and other floors. No matter the occasion or time of day there was always work to be done.

Rinoa turned left through a dark walnut door frame just as a young female PA exited and headed to the lift. Rinoa regarded the woman with jealous eyes, but waited for her to pass before heading to the window where Squall was stood at the window, using the sun light to study the documents. Despite her making her way to him as silently as possible he did not flinch when she wrapped her arms around His soldiers, standing on tip-toe to reach. Here she could feel the slight stubble under the line of his jaw, Soft hair down to his shoulders and smell the pleasantly bittersweet scent of his aftershave. He didn't smile but he relaxed into her grasp, a sign of trust for Him. She kissed his cheek lightly and beamed at him. 'I don't see how you can read that stuff. I mean how do you tell if it's good news or bad?' Squall pointed a finger at figures and dark marks on the scan. To Rinoa it looks a little bit like the black and white photo of a cross section of a bath sponge. 'Odine showed me what to look for after I asked him to.' He held the scan up to the light so she could see. 'Simply put I'm getting better.' Rinoa swung round to look at His face.

'Is that what it really says or do you just not want me to worry about you?' Squall looked her square in the eye, for once a genuine smile that lit his face up with boyish charm. He sat her down on his fathers grand desk in front of the window. Laguna liked the view over the city. Helped him to see why he had to put up with all the paperwork. He held two scans up to the window. 'This is last months. See this?' He pointed to a dark spot. 'That's bad, where I haven't been sleeping'

'Where one bit stops talking to another?' She had listened to several explanations aimed at her and Laguna from Kiros.

'If you like.' He nodded. 'Here,' He pointed at the second one, the dark spot had shrunk considerably to be replaced with something that looked the same as the area around it. 'This is Thursdays.'

'The parts are getting back in touch? So what does this mean? Will you be able to dream again?'

In the days following their escape from the compression Odine placed Squall in a sleep lab to find out why He couldn't sleep, and how he would react to being drugged. After a few days it became clear the drugs worked but the damage done prevented him from being able to dream. Odine had theorised that Squall would be completely cured when he could dream again, If the damage done there had healed then he would be free to sleep on his own again. It was possible the brain had sabotaged itself to prevent sleep but there was no way to be sure without cutting him open, and at that Squall had walked out of the sleep clinic. He nodded at Rinoa. 'Eventually, According to the notes Hes thrown in I should be dreaming again in a few weeks, month at the most. No mention of hypnotism, I think hes given up at last.' He smiled and She chuckled.

'So, What do you want to do now?' Squalls' smile faded, his eyes became serious once more. He put the files away and lent on the desk beside her.

'I've been thinking,' He started, looking at his shoes. 'After...After the last fight, I saw my team mates thrown into time.' He closed his eyes, He was serious now and talking like this was difficult, He had pulled the SeeD shell about him once again. In this mindset He had been trained to withstand torture to keep secrets, Having an emotional conversation like this was almost painful. He could not talk about the fight against Ultimecia the same way He had spoken to Rinoa about the scan moments before, that open way of speaking was something He had only recently learnt; To let the shell slip away just enough to let his emotion show, and Rinoa was the only person He felt He could trust enough to let see such a tender side of him. Rinoa understood what this meant, The emotional side of him was fragile delicate and so easily broken like spun glass kept in a locked safe. He trusted Rinoa enough to show her the contents of that safe, but if She was to break that glass...She knew He would never open to anyone again.

'I... It hurt Rinoa. I was willing to undergo anything I was ordered. It what I've been trained to do.' Rinoa Nodded. 'But, I saw my team mates, my...' He swallowed hard and looked to Her for reassurance. She squeezed His hand and willed him on. 'My...Friends, I saw my friends vanish. I did not know if they were dead or alive, I didn't know what to do! I couldn't even pull myself out of Ultimecias world I was so confused.' He looked away, gritting his teeth. 'I discovered something.' Rinoa held his hand to her chest and looked at him, using her free and to move his face to hers.

'What did you find out?' He looked at her. The steel in His eyes were gone, now they were sky blue.

'I found out, That, without orders...I'm nothing.' Never before had squall been so open, so honest with her, even now She could see there was genuine fear in his eyes. Weather it was from what He was saying or that fact He was saying it in the first place that scared him She didn't ask.

'So, you want to go back to garden?' To her surprise Squall shook his head.

'Not now, Not just yet. I can't. I never want to feel that hopeless again. I thought my training prepared me for everything, But if I can be thrown off hilter that easily...and so...' He blanched but recomposed himself. 'Then my training is far from perfect. Ive spent my whole life trying to close of my emotions, T-to close them away from harm, to destroy them, But that never works, does it?' He looked at her, Vunerable and just a little bit scared. She shook Her head and stroked his hair.

'No. You can't seal yourself away from harm, from pain. It just makes it worse when it eventually gets through.' Strong enough to destroy your mind she thought. Squall nodded before closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. 'Then I have some serious work to do. If ignored emotions can be...so...so fatal to someone, Then I've decided. I need to learn how to acept them, and the pain they bring.' Rinoa held a breath, Was He saying what she thought He was? 'And in that state...I can't be a solider, I'd be a liability. I'm not used to thinking with my heart, Only my head. I'll make to many stupid mistakes until I learn which one I should listen to and when, I'll put too many people in danger. So,' He took a very deep breath and let it out slowly. 'Im going back to Garden-' Rinoa hiccuped, 'To hand in my my application for indefinite leave, At least until I get my head sorted out.' The girl at his side squealed happily and hugged her.

'This is brilliant! Oh, Squall Im so proud of you, I know it must not have been an easy decition to make, garden was your home.' Squall was lost in thought again.

'Yeah, about that...Maybe we could use the money I've saved up to get a place In timber, Maybe somewhere further off...'

'Actually Squall, l- Your father wanted me to ask if we'd like to stay here.' She held up her hands. 'I thinks it would be a great idea, you want to get in touch of your emotional side, A father that wants to get back in touch with his son seems like a perfect starting point.' The young mans eyes were closed, thinking, listening.

'What was the catch?' He added after a pause. Rinoa laced her fingers together.

'He wants you to train to be the next president.' He took this in without a change of expression. 'That'd be good too. Dealing with people, youd certainly learn from Laguna of all people when not to listen to your head. And vice versa, And I don't think there's anything you have to sign that makes you legally bound to take over when he retires...' Squall thought again for a moment then looked up.

'Cant say it's a situation I dreamed of being in...' Rinoa clicked her fingers, remembering something.

'Speaking of dreams!' She told him of her nightmare. He listened silently, only his eyes showing any emotion towards the words she said. When she finished she dug in the pocket of her blue vested jacket. Removing her hand she held up a feather. 'Then I found this in the bed this morning.' Squall took it without a word. 'Where do you think it came from? What does it mean? Can I bring things out of dreams now? Only..I don't remember feathers anywhere.' The steely blue were studying the feather closely.

'I-' He began. Rinoa pulled him back, he blinked rapidly.

'Your eye, Its bleeding again.' True enough, after wiping his wrist across his face, there was a crimson red smudge. Squall groaned and closed his eyes, tilting his head back resting the heels of his hands over his eyes.'I think,' He said after a while, 'I think I should only be concentrating one one problem at a time. Looks like im not quite up to plumbing the mysteries of the sorceress' dreams. Not if this headaches anything to go by.' The sorceress in question clung to his elbow.

'Is there anything I can do?' Squall shook his head, mouth a slash of annoyance at the pounding in his head.

'Not really, Just trying to think about too much at once. Do me a favour?' He opened his good eye and smiled at her.'

'Anything.'

'Go tell Lagu- Go tell my father that I'll accept his offer, On one condition; That we go back to Garden as soon as possible to sort out the paperwork. Best I put this behind me so I can think on other things.' Rinoa nodded and kissed his cheek before turning, a smile glowing on her face as she skipped down the corridor. Things were good. Squall was getting better and now he could finally be opening up to the idea of emotion being a asset rather than a liability. She rushed to tell Laguna the good news. Squall had called him Father!

As soon as Rinoas footsteps had stopped echoing in the office Squall sank into a chair. He pinched the bridge of his nose and waited for the bleeding to stop. It didn't take long, it never did. Nothing more than pressure in his 'taxed' brain. Squall gazed over the city, Could he do it? could he be president of all this? The most powerful nation on the planet? he shook his head. Not yet he thought. Not when there's still so much to find out. He looked again at the feather Rinoa had given him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out another, identical black feather He'd found in the shower a few weeks ago after Rinoa had just finished using it. He would need to find out what was going on with his Rinoa before he felt comfortable enough to face his own demons.


	3. Going homeRetirement

**Chapter 3 /4 : Going home and retirement.**

_**Authors note: More a filler chapter linking the trip from Esthar into the headmasters' office. As such it seems a bit rushed; A habit I am still trying to break when it comes to writing anything really.**_

**_P.s - Loving the amount of hits so far! Please leave any comments in reviews, thank you very much. ^w^_**

The trip on the airship would take almost five hours from Esthar to where Balamb Garden was currently stationed. Laguna had almost lept for joy when Rinoa had told him Squalls' answer to his offer of a permanent place of residence in the palace, (accepting the fact his son couldn't give him the news himself was just Squall being, well, Squall.) But the stipulations that his son had put in place; that he sort out the paperwork concerning his transfer out of SeeD before anything else was done, Meant that celebrations would have to wait until their return from Garden. Also, being president meant Laguna could not go with them in person, but could do was charter them a presidential airship, ready to leave at once, and give them clearance for a substantial amount of gil; if needed, to break his sons contract. This would take some time to explain to Lagunas' ministers but it was worth it.

Rinoa had made straight for the observation deck. She loved watching the ground race by beneath her, as they soared among the clouds. Whenever Laguna was required to travel to foreign lands on diplomatic mission she insisted on taking Squalls' place whenever he refused, which was everytime. He may have disliked it at first, but Laguna soon discovered it was a golden opportunity to get to know both Rinoa and his son better. After all; Squall wasn't about to open up to him anytime soon. Even if it had been his son inside his head all those years ago; the boy still felt they had nothing to talk about. Now they were crossing over Horizon bridge; by airship it would take but an hour to cross, by foot however... Rinoa smiled as she remembered Zell telling her that Squall had _carried _her across it when she was unconscious. At this point they were about three hours away from Gardens last known docking point somewhere of the coast of Balamb in non-territorial waters. The young woman played with a lock of her hair, twisting it around her fingers in a playful fashion. She could think of a million ways Squall and herself could pass the time, but He had taken himself off to a dark room to try and shift his headache. Not only that; the last heavy petting session resulted in a severe nosebleed, thanks to the hormones released, both left Squall in need of an elixir to try and shift the pressure and showed the extent of the damage to his brain. It has been recommended then, rather forcefully, that to keep it down to the occasional cuddle. Of course that incident had been nearly 10 weeks ago and Squall was almost fully recovered now. Rinoa grinned. Soon she would be able to be intimate with the one she loved, a thought that brought her much happiness even after the nightmares.

Rinoa helped herself to a coffee from the crafts on-board drinks dispenser. No cheap, bitter-tasting junk here; No, this machine was the real deal and the drink was both smooth and sweet just as she'd asked. As she turned to sit down she was surprised to see Squall walking towards her, with tousled hair and bleary eyes. With a smile she pointed to the cup in her hand and he nodded. 'You look rough, airsick?' To her further surprise he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested a head on her shoulder.

'I,' He grinned, swaying her gently from left to right 'Have been asleep.' Rinoa nearly dropped the coffee cups she was holding, Squalls' one still in the process of being filled.

'What? are you sure?' She turned to face him, He smiled at her surprised expression and held her at arms length so she didn't accidentally scad him with the hot liquid.

'It was only for about twenty minutes or half hour, but I was deffinately asleep.'

'How do you know you didn't just zone out again? I know you get lost in your thoughts...' Squall shook his head.

'I rested my head back to relax and next thing I knew I was under the covers with a dead arm.'

'A dead arm?' she looked at him quizzically and he laughed gently.

'Pins and needles, the tingles as you call them.' Rinoa smiled so wide he could see most of her teeth.

'Any dreams?' The smiled faded slightly when the man holding her shook his head slowly.

'No, no dreams, but I don't think I was asleep long enough to be honest.' A hot cup was handed to him and Rinoa tipped hers towards it in a toasting fashion.

'Looks like you're on the mend good sir! Lets hope our good fortune lasts.'

Squall sipped his drink and made for a chair at the front of the observation deck near the console the captain used to speak to the passengers on the deck. Rinoa joined him just in time to hear the com-unit bleep into life. 'Master Leonhart sir,' Came the voice of the co-pilot. 'We hailed the Garden as requested. In response we have receive a transmission from the headmaster of Garden. Sir, they ask they be allowed to talk with you directly over voice channels.' Rinoa grinned and lept from her chair to the consoles side. She rested an elbow on the metal surface and with the other hand pressed the green transmit button. 'Patch it through, please!' Squall had been experimentally pulling his hair back to see if it was long enough to warrant a ponytail. It wasn't. He raised an eyebrow.

'Where did you learn the jargon?'

'Oh, your dads fourth visit to Shumi village to discuss trade routes. Maybe it was the fifth?' Squall was about to pass comment when the PA crackled with transfer static. Suddenly he was sat up straight, his hair abandoned, self-conscious despite the fact the decks console could only handle voice transmissions and not video so the speaker could not see them, and despite they were the only ones on the observation deck.

'This is Quistis Trepe, Acting headmaster of Balamb Garden.' The voice was tinny due to distance, but unmistakably Quistis'. 'Who am I addressing?'

'Now now Quisty, Is that any way to greet a friend?' Rinoa poked out her tongue at the speaker in jest her finger resting lazily on the transmit button.

'Rinoa? Is that you?' Rinoa frowned.

'Of course! Didn't they tell you we were the ones aboard?'

'We? Is Squall with you too?' The frown deepened.

'Yes, he is. So, No-one told you?' There was a rush of static as Quistis sighed with relief.

'Yes, I was told. But it wouldn't be the first time Laguna had pretended you were on board for a chance to come and meet Squalls' friends.'

There was a groan as Squall held his head in his hands. 'The number one, grade idiot moron strikes again.' Rinoa slapped his leg before returning to the mic.

'No, it's really us Quisty. We should be arriving at the garden in about two or three hours, I take it we have permission to dock?' There was a moment of silence.

'Probably asking Xu or someone.' Came Squalls' remark through steepled fingers. The crackling started again.

'Before we answer that Rinoa, I have something I wish to ask Squall.'

'He's listening.' Rinoa ignored the glare she received for answering without consent.

'Well, Are you listening Squall?' Squall sighed and reached for the button.

'Yes.' was all he said. There was another pause, shorter this time.

'It's good to hear your voice again.' It was Rinoas' turn to glare. _She still likes you, _she mouthed at him and he ignored it. 'I have to ask,' continued Quistis, 'Is this a friendly visit or SeeD business?'

Squall mulled the question over for a while, thinking on how best to answer. Finally He said, 'Business,' and sat back in his chair. Another rush of static. Somehow this had a disappointed tone.

'I was afraid you'd say that. Very well, Im sending co-ordinates and the docking persmission to your captain. I'll meet you personally at the gates.'

'See you then!' Rinoa closed the link without waiting for a reply and turned to her other half, who had sunk back in the soft leather and closed his eyes. 'Are you sure you've never slept with her?'

Squall opened one eye and half smiled. 'You're an idiot, you know that?' He pulled her to him and held her. 'But you're my idiot, and I wouldn't change that.' Rinoa sighed happily, accepting this as a 'no', and settled back to enjoy the rest of the flight.

Squall was not the only one to have been effected by the time compression. For several weeks Zell had suffered from, what Dr. Kadowaki called, 'The time bends.' Periodically time would fluctuate for him, causing him to appear to slow down or speed up. The results were quite funny. One afternoon during lunch time had slowed down to almost a stand-still without Zell noticing, too concentrated on his food. Time had settled back to it's normal pace and the shock of fifteen minutes worth of hot dogs hitting His stomach in approximately one point two seconds made him violently sick. The solution for this was spells to negate the effects of time altering in tablet form. One of Odines' best innovations; To channel a single spell out creating a draw point bound to the makeup of several proteins that the body could breakdown to release the magic and desired effect. Zell had no idea how the worked but He knew the red ones were to speed him up to normal and the green were to slow him down. These combined with a watch coated in the reflect spell designed to bleep and flash the colour of the tablet he was supposed to take.

Quistis had also been effected but she had not told a soul. During the travel between times all the memories she had surrendered, without realising, to the GF had flowed back into her. And it was with perfect recollection of her childhood with Squall and the others that she met with the pair at the gate. Maybe it had shown in her eyes, her feelings, because the greetings at the gate were terribly short. Rinoas' growing disquiet regarding the way this woman may or may not feel about her boyfriend soured the niceties somewhat. During lesson hours the halls were mercifully quiet allowing an uninterrupted trip to the headmasters office. They were ushered into the room by a SeeD Squall recognised but couldn't name. The old fashioned office was just as he remembered it, except he had never usually seen it this crowded.

'Squall! Rinoa!' Selphie jumped from her place comandeering the Headmasters' chair and hugged Rinoa tightly. 'It's so good to see you again!' Irvine stepped forward from beside a potted fern, one hand rubbing his neck nervously the other reaching out to shake Squalls' hand.

'Good to see ya' again, And sorry about the fuss. Selfie couldn't keep her mouth shut y'know?' Squall looked at his hand in Irvines' and smiled weakly. Before He could say anything a blue and red blur whipped past, knocking off Irvines' cowboy hat in its' wake. Squalls' gloved hand was caught up by the blur and he found himself staring into a blonde haired and tattooed face. 'Z-Zell?' Squall tried to back away but his overly energetic friend held fast. Zell smiled and looked squarely into the steely-blue eyes before him. 'Squall?' He began slowly, 'Squall, do you remember me? It's me, your friend, Zell.' Each word was carefully pronounced, as if he was talking to a small child. Squall glanced at Rinoa and the others. 'Who-?' He started nervously looking between his friends, unsure of what to do, of what to make of this behaviour. Quistis groaned and shook her head, Selphie giggled while Irvine held his head in his hands out of embarrassment. No-one seemed to want to intervene though, Squall was on his own. He swallowed hard. 'Yes, Zell, I re-' but his words were cut short when Zell pulled him into a strong bear hug that lifted the scared soldier off the ground by a few inches. 'He remembers me!' Zell shouted joyfully, 'I was worried he'd have forgotten!'

'I'm sorry' came Quistis' voice from behind her fingers, 'We tried to explain why Squall took the time off, but I don't think he quite understood.'

A vein pulsed in Squalls' temple and his eyebrow twitched. In a manner of indignant, yet, controlled rage he brought a gloved fist down on Zells' spiked yellow hair.

'You are an idiot Zell!' He spat angrily over the moans of pain. He was dropped to his feet while Zell cradled his head. This episode caused the group, excluding Zell and Squall, to laugh. It was a good few minutes before any of them could stop.

'Thats' enough.' Said Quistis while wiping tears from her eyes. 'They are not here for a social visit.' She took her place behind the Headmasters desk and indicated for them all to sit down. They all did, Selphie on the windowsill next to where Irvine was leaning against the wall. Squall folded his arms across his chest and glared at his knees. Rinoa glanced from him to Quistis. Squall caught her glance, it was a look that told him she was NOT going to speak for him this time. 'Oh, all right.' He groaned and sat forward, his chin resting on his knuckles. 'Headmistress Trepe,' Squll looked his old inspector in the eye, 'I'm here to make a formal Request.' Quistis flinched slightly under his gaze. True, she had once been his instructor and was now headmaster of the Garden, but she was only slightly older than Squall and his gaze could cut glass. She recomposed herself and meet his eyes. 'What request would you like to make of us?' Rinoa placed a hand on Squalls' knee, Obviously uncomfortable. Pleased to feel his lovers hand on his leg for reassurance he took a deep breath and glanced at Irvine, the acting commander. 'I want to put in a request for my immediate retirement.'

The stunned silence spoke volumes and it was Zell that spoke first. 'You what?' he cried aloud. Irvine shot Squall a sharp glare.

'On what grounds?' a black leather glove massaged Squalls' temple slowly.

'In accordance with article five, subsection b.' Selphie looked at him puzzled, tilting her head.

'Whats that mean?'

'Article five, subsection b states,' Quistis sighed and began to quote from the SeeD guidelines as only inspector Trepe could, 'Retirement can be forced before normal termination in field id the SeeD is deemed physically or mentally unfit for service.' She removed her glasses and shook her head. 'But I don't understand, the last letter we received from Rinoa said you were getting better, almost fully recovered in-fact. We were expecting you to rejoin us soon.'

'Whats wrong Squall, you sick?' Zell had to duck the daggers thrown by Squalls' Gaze. Rinoa broke the line of sight and looked into Squalls' eyes. The softened immediately.

'Are you sure?' she whispered. Squall nodded and reached for the folder Rinoa passed him from her bag. It looked just like the one Odine had left for them on Lagunas' desk if somewhat thicker.

'These are my medical records.' He handed them over to Quistis, 'I take it you'll need them.' Headmistress Trepe took them before pressing the inter-com on her desk.

'Agatha, could you send up Dr. Kadowaki at once please, it is urgent.'

'Right away m'am.' Any further reply from the secretary was cut short by Quistis turning off the inter-com with a [snap].

'We best leave the reading of this file to an expert.' She lent back in her chair and looked from Rinoa to Squall. 'And I take it you understand what this means then when she arrives? Theres' to be no more secrets. Quistis looked her former student straight in the eye. 'It's about time you both told us what really happened in the time compression.'


	4. What Happened

**Chapter 5 : What happened then.**

_[Author note : Promised violence comes in chap 6 at long last. another chapter to clarify the past events and set up the next few chapters. This is the longest chapter yet so I hope you guys were curious or like walls'otext xD]_

'He's right you know,' Sighed Dr. Kadowaki; holding the contents of the folder to the light, 'He's recovering well, but I very much doubt He'll be a SeeD again.' At once Zell was at the Doctors elbow looking at the papers he had snatched from her hands. 'Where does it say that?' He demanded tilting his head. 'You're making it up, you have to be!'

Squall ignored Zell and looked to Quistis. 'One of the requirements of being a Balamb SeeD is proper usage of a Guardian Force on missions, is it not?' Quistis nodded.

'Yes. Its what gives us the edge in combat, and since we're the last Garden all transfers are required to use a Guardian force, but I really don't understand what that has to do with your request.' A gloved hand indicated for Kadowaki to continue. The Doctor studied the notes Odine had made in conjunction with the scans and print-outs. After a moment she handed Quistis the relevant sheet. 'Its Just, If I am reading this correctly, Squall... Squall cannot junction anymore.' Quistis snapped up the page, Irvine reading over her shoulder.

'Impossible! You told us just now that he's recovering well!' The doctor shook her head quickly.

'It is, it's strange. It is as if the area taken up by a GF in the mind if already filled.' Kadowaki piled through the pages of medical notes. 'Again if I am reading this correctly... A GF takes up its place in the unused part of the human brain and syphons off electrical signals from the memory part in order to fuel the newly awakened lobe. In Squall however that part already has activity in it, its faint but...there's just no room for a Guardian force in his head, not even one...There's something else in his head.'  
The last sentence was left to hang ominously. There was a gentle pressure on Squalls' knee as five pairs of eyes fixed on him, all with an expression of growing worry. He gratefully placed a hand over Rinoas which was on his leg. Once again the first to open their mouth was Zell. 'So it is brain damage?' Selphie took a leaf out of Squalls' book and landed a punch squarely on the top of Zells' head. 'That's not what she said moron; It must be a really big guardian force! That's right isn't it Squall?' She clapped her hands together in an eureka moment. 'It was griever wasn't it?' (Squall didn't notice how Rinoa had quailed slightly after hearing the name.) 'You met him in the future, fought him mono a mono and brought him back! That would explain why you were so beat up that Rinoa had to carry you out of the time thing! I'm right, right?' The words came out of the girls mouth so quickly that it took all of them a few seconds to process it. Squall blinked a few times as the words sunk in, then sighed with exasperation. 'Your imagination still works it seems, but no, that's not it.' Irvine shifted and gazed at Squall with all the solemnity of a pastor.

'I've heard 'bout use of GFs' causin' all sorts of problems, not just mem'ry loss.' The face under the hat darkened with a frown. 'It's a tumour isn't it? You're dying.'

'Oh for Hynes' sake!' Rinoa slapped Squall around the shoulder. He flinched but then sighed and sat forward to speak, but before he was able to utter a single syllable -

'It's magic!' Kadowaki was starring from the notes in her hand to the man mentioned within in a look of horrified facination. 'He has magic in his system but no junctioned GFs'! But it's impossible! That would make you a...a...' Squall raised his fingers before him so they resembled a dead spider. They twitched once and blue sparks of energy jumped from finger to finger. It looked like an electrical, one - handed cats-cradle.

'A male sorceress. A sorcerer.' He finished Kadowakis sentence and dissipated the sparks by curling his fingers into a fist. If he had his gunblade on him, (Rinoa made him leave it on the ship, much to his annoyance.) He was sure he could have cut the air like butter. Rinoa glanced at Zell, waiting for... 'Freaky!'  
That one word from the kick boxer broke the stunned silence. Quistis was on her feet and leaning across the desk. The dark and highly polished wooden surface reflected the thunderous fury on her face. 'How?' She demanded. 'Just what has Odine done to you!' Her face may have shown anger, but the words escaped her mouth with a sob.

_She thinks i'm a monster,_ Thought Squall. _Rightly so I guess._

'I'll take it from here.' Rinoa patted Squalls' hand, fully aware of every ones eyes on her. This had better be a damn good explanation. 'First off,' She began, 'This isn't Odines' fault, It's mine.' And with that, she told them everything.

In truth, Squall had been able to remember where he was supposed to meet his friends in the time compression, but he had immense difficulty calling up the necessary emotions that would have sent him to when. (Squall had neglected to tell anyone about meeting Edea and himself in the past.) As a result he had gone to the right place but remained in the timeless world Ultimecia lived in. The world decayed around Squall and with it part of himself began to decay, Memories fractured and were whipped away into the void and he could no longer place names to faces...Not even to the the face of woman he loved. Knowing that escape was now impossible with his memories bleeding out of him, leaving him more hollow than ever, Squall resigned himself to his fate. The moment he accepted the fact he had become a permanent fixture in this dying world it had claimed him. He could not live in a place that was unable to sustain life, so Squalls' destiny was sealed with that of Ultimecas' world.

Rinoa bit her lip, the memory still paining her. 'Squall died in there.' All eyes were back on him but Squall was looking fixedly at the door.

'I must say,' Came a new voice from the doorway, 'You're looking pretty good for a dead guy.' Seifer strode into the room, pausing only to snatch an apple from the bowl on Quistis' desk, before sitting on a decorative lounger at the far end of the office. He had been in the training centre and the grey carpet was tracked with the mud from his boots. Zell was visibly shaking with anger. 'What the hell are you doing here?' Seifer grinned and took a bite from the shiny red fruit. 'True,' He spat around the apple, 'I wasn't invited to the party; but I heard on the grapevine that these two had been spotted heading this way. So, here I am.' Rinoa glared at Quistis. 'Why is he in Garden?' The commander stepped in and shrugged. 'We took him back to keep an eye on him, Couldn't have someone we trained running around. He finally passed the SeeD exam.' Rinoa pointed at the newcomer. 'He leaves. Now!' But before anyone could throw him out Seifer punched the chair he was sat on for attention.

'I think I'll stay.' A smirk appeared on his face. 'I heard enough to know that He,' Seifer pointed at Squall, 'Is now an enemy of SeeD. Think of all the trouble I could cause with that one fact?'

'He has a point.' Selphie shrugged, much to everyones surprise. Seifer took another bite from the apple.

'Looks like I'm staying so finish the story Rin. I want to know how come there's a corpse sat in the room,' Squalls eyes narrowed at Seifers grin, 'And it doesn't smell like a zombie.' No one was able to come up with a justifiable reason to eject the cocky SeeD so Rinoa was forced to continue, albeit aggravated.

The sorceress had worried when, two hours after everyone else, Squall had not come out of the compression. Rinoa forced her way back into the void, but, with the walls between the times solidifying she would have to move quickly. When she had found the body Rinoa had tried to revive the body with magic, Inadvertently passing on a portion of her power in order to kick start the brain. All she had asked her magic to do was bring him back to life, and it had done so the only way it could. Between them both, Squall concentrating on the where and Rinoa on the when, they were able to return to the present just as the walls closed behind them.

'And thats' when you found us.' Squall looked at his shoes again. 'In truth the powers I got from Rinoa were tiny...' He looked at Zell, 'In a magic on magic fight you, with the amount you get from carbuncle alone without drawing, would most probably beat me. The most I can do is cure small cuts and perform party tricks like the one I showed you.' The chair squeaked as he lent back, That's why I had to recover the old fashioned way.' Zell raised a hand.

'What is it zell?' Quistis' voice was a mix of amazement and sorrow.

'Uh, If Squall is a sorcerer then we have a big problem.'  
'And that is?' Rinoas full attention on the blonde now. Zell scratched his chin for a moment.  
'There's this old guy that lives next door to me, tells his grandson fairy tales.' There was a wet thud as Seifer threw the apple core at the back of Zells' head.  
It may be your nap time Chicken-wuss but we don't have time to listen to stories.' All hell would have broken loose if Irvine hadn't grabbed Zell by the elbows.

'Please!' Rinoa begged. 'Please, go on Zell.' There was a blonde blur as the figure in Irvines grip shook his head.

'Only if seifer leaves or keeps his big mouth shut.'

'He will,' interjected Quistis, 'Go on Zell.' Zell shot a venomous glare at Seifer.

'Well, This old dude, One of his stories mentions a Sorcerer. He said, it said, that the day one showed up then Hyne would come back and kill everyone on the planet to get to him.' Rinoa blinked. 'Hyne? The godess Hyne?' Squall was watching Quistis and Kadowaki, both of whom wore the genuine concern and recognition in their eyes that said they had heard this story as well. 'This is only a story!' Siefer threw his arms up. 'And a stupid one at that! Why are we listening to it?' The headmistress rubbed her eyes.

'Still, we can't overlook it. After all we thought the sorceress was just a story and so was Esthar. Now we're friends with a sorceress and we know the president of the place.' Quistis sighed and looked at Squall. 'Given this information...it's going to take a while to process your request, At least till we can be sure that the story is just that.' Jumping out of her chair, Rinoa was up in arms.

'So he has to stay SeeD until then? But-' Before she could start screaming at everyone Irvine stepped between the raging sorceress and the headmasters desk, 'But it is true He can't use junctions! That makes him unfit for combat.' He glanced at Quistis. 'Since Xu is on a mission I take it that it's my job to hand out assignments?'. an eyebrow raised but Quistis nodded. 'Excellent!' Irvine clapped. 'In that case, Squall I have an assignment for you.' Squall was taken aback.

'An assignment, but you yourself just said that-' Irvine cut him off. 'Pending the review of your request I want to make you a sleeper SeeD.' He winked. 'Our man in the hole in Esthar. If something goes down and we're hired to look into anything Esthar side you can get us the scoop. Hell, I can even justify you not being a surveillance specialist thanks to your connections,' Irvine lifted his hat and smoothed down his hair, 'I can even have you dispatched today.' Rinoa gripped Squalls' hand excitedly, Squall however leaned around to look Quistis in the eye.

'Is this alright by you?' Quistis shook her head.

'I don't like it,' She sighed, 'But it is Irvines' call. Personally I'd rather have you here in case of this Hyne thing kicking off.' Squall looked at Rinoa, It wasn't what they had hoped for but it was close enough, right?

'Where do I sign?' And he gave Irvine a rare but genuine smile.


	5. Hyne Lives

Chapter 6 : Hyne Lives.

(notes: w00t! finally some combat! as a result this seems to be the longest chapter yet. Me' overly descriptive? Nevar! Enjoy!)

Two months after the meeting at the Garden the SeeDs were on a mission. The mission was highly unorthodox for three reasons, The first being, that, instead of the minimum three SeeD operatives only two had been dispatched. The second was, that, contrary to official guidelines neither of the two SeeD were either medical specialists or carried any equipment that might enable them to contact their home Garden. The third and, agreeably, the most odd reason was the simple fact that they were not being paid to do this job and they had not been contracted by a client.

The village of Minira lay about forty-seven miles off the site of the slowly re-building Trabia Garden. It was a peaceful; scenic place surrounded by pine trees, mountain rich valleys and, most importantly, it had been under attack by an unknown force for a few days. One river split into two and snaked past the village, before rejoining once again in the south, providing power and water to nearly fifty families. The main trade of Minira was the beer that the small brewery was able to produce; and it was outside the Minira Dark Ale brewery that Irvine and, his partner for this mission, Zell were sat discussing the job while drinking the free ale that the grateful Villagers had insisted they take. It had taken Irvine almost two hours to convince Zell that he wouldn't be punished for drinking on the job, after all they were doing it for free.

'So, we just scare it off?' Zell seemed a little put off by the specifics of their mission. Irvine nodded,

'We're not getting any cash for this mission, hence no equipment and only two SeeD with no back-up.' He took a swig from the bottle he was holding and murmured in approval. 'You know, I'm a whiskey man myself but this stuff isn't half bad.' Zell grinned.

'I've loved this stuff since my Grandad let me sneak a few sips from his when he was able to hide from my Mum. You know, Siefer tried this once and was out after three-quarters of a pint.' Irvine laughed hard at that.

'For a guy who claims to drink Vodka neat he holds his drink about as well as a rusty bucket with a hole in it.' Laughter was obviously such a rare thing in the village these days that no one complained as the pair hooted on the steps of the brewery in the middle of the night. 'He only claimed that after declining that drinks night with me, the lion and a coupl'a old movies. To be honest I wouldn't have invited him but he walked into the lounge after we finished that job on the lunar cry a few weeks ago.' Zell laughed, That had been a fun mission. Two teams hired by Laguna, who had thought it would have done his son some good to spend some time with his friends, to clear out the beasts wandering the streets of Esthar. it had been costly in terms of the hired hand, but it had been the cheapest lunar cry in terms of casualties and damage to property.

'The lion, Squall drinks whiskey?'

'Oh hell yeah,' Irvine grinned, 'You didn't hear this from me but, Squall shares my taste in drinks and classic westerns.' He patted Zells back in a friendly manner, 'I'd have invited you but you tend to give running commentaries all the way through. Kind ruins the monologues.' Zell pouted for a moment, then nodded. Fair enough, it was true after all.

'Why do you think,' He started slowly, watching a firefly crawl over his boot, 'You stood up for Squall in the office?' The firefly made its' way up Zells' shin.

'Because,' Irvine was watching it too now, 'You've been on holiday right? Christmas and all those other stuff right, with family?' Zell nodded, He fondly remembered snow boarding when he was fifteen.

'Well Squall and Seifer, and hell Quistis too, for that matter, never did any of that. Garden is all they've had, they've been fighting all their lives.' The glowing insect crawled lazily onto Zells' shorts. 'Well hes' got a sweetheart now; and a Dad, And a home. I say if He wants out of the soldiers' life more power to him, its' the smartest thing hes' ever done.'

'And what about this whole sorcerer thing? Seifer was right, doesn't it make him an enemy of SeeD?' Irvine raised an eyebrow.

'You'd honestly fight Squall? And Rinoa for that matter?' Zell thought for a moment, then shook his head. Irvine continued. 'Besides you heard the man, He claims to have the magical power of a Grat and I, For one, Believe him. Rinoa would have died if she'd passed to much of her magic to him.' It was sound reasoning.

'And this Hyne stuff?' Zell popped the cap on a fresh Ale. Irvine took it without hesitation, despite the fact it had never been offered to him.

'Then he's best off in the most advanced, anti-sorceress equipped country on the planet.' He looked into the woods around him. 'Hopefully it'll amount to nothing more than a rumour.' The firefly made its way from shirt to elbow under Zells' gaze. 'And this 'winged person' that's been attacking this village? Just a coincidence?' Irvine let out a deep breath.

'We pray it ain't Hyne?' [The irony, thought Zell, Of praying to a God to deliver us from the wrath of said God.] He blew on the firefly and watched it skim away into the night. 'It dun' seem to matter now anyway. We're only on lookout for one night and it practically dawn already. Seems' we wasted our time, it's been quieter that a siren appreciation-' Of course, as it always goes, the moment someone points out how easy or good something is; is precisely the same moment the proverbial dung hits the fan. In this case, Irvines words had been interrupted by a high pitched scream. The two SeeDs were on their feet and running to the scene unaffected, it would seem, by the alchohol. They rounded a corner and froze at once. 'I-it can't be!'

The cause of the scream had been a teenage girl, apparently, snatched from the bedroom of her home. The house in question was ablaze, the wall on which the girls window had been was ripped away and lay strewn over the grass. Held aloft by the neck; the young woman was captive of a winged figure, whose shape was so reminiscent of Ultimecia, shrouded in darkness that seemed to be alive as it swarmed around her like smoke. The only things to breech this smog were a pair of great, black and grey feathered wings and the piercing red glow of her eyes. Even the hand that was clasped around the throat of the girl was hidden, oozing shadows. 'It's a sorceress..' Breathed Zell, this was bad, VERY bad. There was only two of them! Even if their task was only to scare the winged figure off - could they possibly win?

'Oh thank heavens, SeeD! Help us!' And old woman sheltering near the burning building screeched when she spotted the two men stood there. The SeeDs' turned to look, to see how they could help, preparing to run to her aid, but the Shadowed figure had heard too. Before even Zells' legendary speed could bring him within range to grab the woman, the sorceress had raised its' free hand.

'SILENCE!' Called a voice that sounded more like a chorus of people rather than that of one person. With a flick of the wrist, the old woman was gone. Zell had been close enough to be splattered with blood as the person he had been trying to save reduced to an orange sized ball of pink and red matter. All blood and bodily fluids were painting the walls of the nearby houses or hissing as it hit the blaze. With another flick the ball exploded, creating devastation in defiance of its size. Zell threw up his bloodied arms to shield himself against the hail of bone splinters and unknown substances that peppered his flesh and the surrounding landscape. It drove through the bricks of the surrounding buildings like a hot knife through jelly, Zells' abdomen didn't stand a chance. The needles plunged into soft organs and tissues, shredding muscles, he was thrown back several feet by the blast. Irvine darted to him; keeping low, the patchy and scorched grass spattered with blood and debris, illuminated by the fire. He let off a few shots of covering fire, aimed at the sorceress, from his gun. Most of the bullets went wide, missing the target but at least one hit home. The shot went clean through the arm holding the teenager and it felt to the ground, writhing like an injured snake, dark liquid spilling forth.

Irvine grabbed the girl and Zell by the collars and dragged them behind, what appeared to be, a low-built stone storage house. The figure screamed in ethereal tones, unmistakably pained by the loss of her arm. Irvine dropped the pair and knelt down, making himself as small a target as possible. 'Run!' He hissed to the girl. Not needing to be told twice, she shot off into the forest. Zell coughed and spat; laying on his shoulder, his lips stained and red tendrils hanging from the chin. 'H-How...It...She blew her up!' He gasped and clutched his bloody torso in pain, before, curling up and passing out. _So it's down to me? _thought Irvine, panicking. _The old woman had been...In just one gesture! certainly lends some Gravity to the situation._ His brain piped up, but now was not the time for puns, he needed a plan. He had injured the thing, no doubt about that, he had seen the arm fall.

Irvine cursed under his breath, realising that which Zell out of action he had almost no options. He tried to block out the screams of the escaping villagers and the smell of charred and smoking wood and concentrated. There was only one thing for it, to dive out of his hiding place, all guns blazing, and hope he hit something vital before she rendered him so much human shrapnel. It was now or never, every second wasted meant more the sorceress had another second to recover. Irvine swore loudly; cocked his gun, and rolled out from behind the building, his finger working the trigger for all it was worth. A blade-like shard of ice narrowly clipped his head as the sorceress fought back. Irvine noticed, out of the corner of his eye, his hat spin off with a crimson spray and an immense amount of pain in his ear. He blocked it out.

The ice, fortunately, had been the only spell the darkened figure could manage before she had doubled up by the force of the bullet storm, the ground was soon black with her blood.

'Accursed SeeD!' she hissed, glowing eyes on the kneeling Irvine who was blinking to restore his vision.

'Oh so you've heard of us?' He allowed himself a slight grin, gun trained on the point between the two red lights that were fixed on him. 'I take no small pleasure that knowing the great Hyne is scared of lil' ol' SeeD. Must be doing something right.' To his surprise, and horror, the sorceress laughed.

'So, you know my name! Yet, you do not comprehend your position, human! If you did, you would run!' the last word was screeched at the gunman with enough force to ruffle his hair.

'Oh I don't think so,' He grinned, not often you get to back-chat to a God, 'You look 'armless enough.' Hyne laughed, another surprise, sounding for all the world like a thousand Violins being plucked in different notes.

'Do I really? Let us see just how glib you can be after this.' The stub of the arm Irvine had blasted off was raised high, shadows swarming to it, reforming the servered limb.

'See?' Screamed Hyne triumphantly, 'I am yet incomplete, yet, still I am more powerful than you can ever fathom!' Irvines mind ticked over, Incomplete? The start of a plan was sparked from this new fact, it had been processed and was ready to be put into action before Hyne has finished the sentence. He darted forward, ducking under the newly whole limb, gun raised. 'Incomplete, huh?' The end of the barrel was resting on the Gods' forehead. He had to admit, he was surprised to feel something solid underneath the swirling darkness. 'I take it that means,' He squeezed the trigger, 'That this will hurt.'

The sound of the shot was drowned out by the terrible roaring coming from Hyne. It was like standing in the wake of a hurricane, Irvine could feel the ground slipping from under his feet as the force of it pulled him towards the sorceress. The former humanoid figure had turned into a vortex of shadow and debris, something slapped onto Irvines head and stuck fast to the blood there. 'Accursed SeeD! I am IMMORTAL! I shall destroy you, all of you, and your So-called Gardens!' The pull on Irvine intensified and he was sure he was about to fall into Hyne, Heaven knows what would have happened if he had. It was when he had been pulled onto the balls of his feet, fighting for balance, that it stopped. Hyne had gone. Stones fell to the ground in a spiral centered around where the vortex of magic had been. Irvine regained his balance and stooped to pick up his hat. 'I am so glad that worked,' he chuckled and placed the hat on his head, 'But I guess that's why they made me the Commander.'

It was morning, and the two SeeD were on the fast train home, before Irvine could call in his report. Without the normal equipment he had been forced to use the phone in their private cabin. 'Yeah, it went really well.' He beamed, 'One fatality, and its going to be a while before Zells' on his feet again, But I very much doubt Hyne will be bothering anyone for a while. Give us time to figure out how to stop her for good.' There was a silence while he listened to the voice on the other end of the olive green receiver. 'The what? Oh, yeah, that. I'm sure I can swing by the professors lab and drop it off for testing on the way home. See you, _commander _Xu.' His tone was happy, if a little irked at having to share his title. He hung up the phone, and looked at the thing he had been twirling between his fingers throughout the conversation. Xu had asked him to drop the black feather off to a lab for testing, but what kind of tests could they do on it? 'I wonder..' He shrugged the curiosity off, after all he was no scientist, He'd hear about whatever they were testing when the results came in. He pocketed the Feather and left his air conditioned room for the medical car to check on Zell.


	6. Mission Control

**Chapter 7 : Mission control.**

Notes: Yes I put Angelo in this chapter for you, you know who you are :P I've come down with the flu so, even though I will struggle to continue to update, please bear with me if they are not the same time they usualy are.

_summary : With Hyne now officialy on the warpath Squall is forced to face some home truths..._

It had been six weeks since Hyne had fought Irvine and Zell in Minira and Squall was busily packing for a business trip to Deling. He had heard from Selphie that Zell had been hospitalised in a fight with the incomplete God and, though He had been too busy to visit, Rinoa had made sure he had signed the get well card she had sent him. Laguna had asked Squall to take his place when the invitation for dinner had come through.

'I can't make it!' He had insisted to Squall, 'I'm needed the same night to sign some things over with the Trabian Government. Besides, it's only a dinner and an Opera, there's to be no politics! Just you putting our face out there.' In the end squall was forced to agree just to stop calling it 'their face', He had enough off Kiros and Ward telling him (well Ward gestured) that he was starting to look more and more like Laguna. He looked over at the sleeping figure of Rinoa, the only one who defended him from the two, curled up in their bed. she had been sick, with a fever and drowsiness with no known cause, for a few weeks and had been ordered to rest.

_Typical_, thought Squall, _The moment I get the all clear she gets sick..._He smoothed the creases out of a shirt and placed it in his suitcase. Kiros had already laid out a selection of formal clothes for him to take, all what you'd expect the representative of a country to be wearing and highly uncomfortable. He had been tempted to tell people he was SeeD, making him unfit to represent anyone besides Garden, But neither his father or Rinoa would have forgiven him for that. The moment anyone outside the immediate circle of the orphanage gang, his family and close friends found out he was a sleeping agent for garden, he would be forced to leave Esthar and return to Balamb. The whole point of being a sleeper was so that you could move around without anyone knowing you were SeeD; the perfect way to gather information.

The suitcase was closed with a snap that made the sleeping Sorceress stir.

'Shh,' He whispered, brushing the hair from her face, 'Sleep, I'll be home in three days.' He planted a tender kiss on her forehead and felt the magic that swirled beneath her skin. Since his rebirth as a sorcerer he'd felt closer to Rin than ever before. Even arguing with her had become impossible as everything she felt, he could also feel, emotionally in tune with the host from which his power flowed. Though he was a separate entity, a force all of his own, his magic was part of Rinoa and he felt weaker when she wasn't around. _Just like Dad said,_ He mused, _She really is my weakness._ It was with no small amount of sorrow that he turned to leave, but a small whimper forced him to turn back. On his side of the bed, lying next to his loved one, Angelo was watching him with sad eyes.

'Hey girl,' Squall rubbed the dogs head, 'You look after her while I'm gone, okay?' The German Shepard-collie cross, licked Squalls' fingers affectionately before setting her head back down on his sick owners arm. It was for a second time Squall was forced to endure the sadness of turning his back on the sleeping Rinoa, and sneak out without waking her to say goodbye.

He was passing his fathers first floor office when someone called out to him.

'Squall? Hey, Squall! There's a phone call for you.' Squall glanced at Laguna and to the phone in his fathers' hand.

'Can you take a note? I'm going to miss my flight.' Laguna frowned, aging ten years instantly as the unused expression crossed his features.

'I know, But, it's Quistis' and she says it's urgent.' Squall let out a low groan; If it was Quistis, then the phone call wasn't a social one and could only mean one thing. Unfortunately, He was SeeD before his fathers' son. He placed the suitcase by the door and crossed the room to the desk, dodging people running to and fro with papers and other things for Laguna to read or sign.

'Cheers,' He took the reciver and sighed deeply, 'SeeD operative Squall Leonhart.' There was a pained look on Lagunas' face as he spoke this words down the phone, Squall still refused to change his surname.

'Squall, This is headmistress Trepe. Im calling on behalf of SeeD commander Xu, Telling you to return to active duty effective immediately.' The calm, almost relaxed, look, that Squall had slowly been developing over the weeks, dropped from his face at once, once again a soldier. His knuckles were white with anger as he gripped the phone. He knew the moment he had picked up the receiver, and identified himself as SeeD, he had forgone all rights to question the voice on the other end of the phone. As such he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from shouting at Quistis, was three months all they could give him in the way of this assignment? being called back into active service would mean that his request for early retirement had been denied. Squall remained silent, raising a hand to his forehead and closing his eyes, a gesture everyone who knew him would recognise as his way of trying to de-stress. _Why does this sort of thing always happen to me?_

Laguna had noticed the change that had come over his son with a pang of guilt, there was nothing he could do for him and it broke his heart.

'Leonhart, do you hear me? Confirm you have received your orders.'

_Leonhart? she's trying to be official, probably scared I'll freak out..._'I heard,' He grumbled in reply, 'I'll be on the next flight to Balamb.' He heard Quistis sigh in relief.

'Good, I'll meet you at the port, I can brief you on the way to the Garden.'

Before Squall could stop himself, he heard the word, 'Whatever,' escape him. There was a minute of uncomfortable silence before Quistis said,

'Call in when you reach the border,' and hung up.

Quistis stared at the phone as though it were a grenade. _Whatever,_ she thought to herself, _He said 'whatever'. Have I just undone all the good the last few months away have done? _She shook her head; she had no choice after all, It was vital squall return for this next mission. No point worrying herself into an early grave over something she couldn't change. She felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced up to see Irvine smiling at her.

'It's okay,' He reassured her, 'He'll feel different once he hears the briefing.' Quistis held her head in one hand.

'That's what I'm worried about.'

Since the discovery of the Ragnarok had sparked the worlds lust for flight, Hundreds of airships sprung out of the woodwork from every country around the globe. Though, true, most of these ships were still in the testing phase, Esthar had already produced a fleet to accommodate the new trade routes Laguna had masterminded., And, of course, with trade came tourism. Even the strict security checks on everyone coming into the city hadn't put the public off, bringing the need for a whole new commercial airline. Squall boarded the ten-fifteen shuttle to Balamb port Surrounded by tourists, the presidential ship was already booked up with taking Laguna to Trabia. Though he had not yet come to view Esthar as his home, it still irked him to see what little regard these people had for the place, had his father been right to open the city?

The blonde Stewardess nearly died of shock when she saw the gunblade case that Squall carried.

'S-Sir!' She pipped up as he went to take his seat, 'N-no weapons are allowed on Esthar air flights.' Squall groaned inwardly; he had hoped to keep the fuss to a minimum, and this stewardess not having been informed of his being on the flight had thrown a spanner into the works. One hand went to his forehead, something he was doing more and more lately, the other flashed the woman his SeeD licence and weapons permit. Being SeeD meant he got all kinds of perks, like free flights and beverages, but he hated letting anyone know. The look he had given her, when she asked him to stow it in the over head, had been so full of venom that he was allowed to board without further delay.

And so, Squall Leonhart came to be sat aboard the eagle shaped craft. For six hours he had to endure a screaming infant sat in front of him; a large woman snoring loudly on his shoulder, a young boy repeatedly kicking the back of his chair and at least three people trying to ascertain the contents of this black weapons case. Needless to say, It was the six longest hours of his life.

_I'd take another round in D-District talking to Seifer about flowers over this... _He thought bitterly, feeling the distance between him and Rinoa tugging at the back of his skull dully. He found himself wishing, for the first time, that he was a more powerful sorcerer, so he could knock all the passengers out with sleep and enjoy the journey in peace.

Quistis stared at the man sat opposite her now. She had not been prepared for the Squall that stepped off the aircraft, only half hour ago, and still could not bring herself to recognise the man that was sitting in the briefing room. If it had not been for the scar on his face, and the pendant around his neck, she might have missed him at the airport, so much had he changed. Expecting to see the same leather-clad figure she had grown to know oh so well over the year, Quitis had been taken aback by how casual Squall now appeared. White t-shirt with a black trim, Black stone-washed jeans, leather ties and braces about his wrists and hair tied back that went down to his shoulders spoke of the time spent being an 18 year old rather than a battle weary soldier. It being the worst heat wave to hit Balamb in twenty years hadn't helped matter much, He had worn sunglasses almost covering his scar completely. This 'new' Squall stirred old feelings in the Headmistress, Maybe she wasn't over him yet?

Now he sat at the long rectangular table of the briefing room, a folder in his hand and the arm of his darkened glasses between his teeth absentmindedly. Joining them for the briefing were; Irvine, who had been present for Hynes attack on Minira, Xu, the acting SeeD commander along with Irvine, and a short and familiar looking professor by the name of Lokai. Even though they were discussing the very important fact that Hyne had returned, and that his most likely targets were anyone with any form of magical power, Quistis couldn't stop staring at Squall. Something was bothering her.

'So,' Irvines words cut into her thoughts, 'The feather that I found, you're saying its made entirely from...manners?'

'Mana!' Snapped Lokai, this being the third time he had to explain it to the cowboy. 'I can understand you SeeD types being a bit thick but you're supposed to be a Commander!'

'Yeah well,' Irvine tried to defend himself, 'I've never heard of it before.'

'It's the name of the energy that makes GFs' appear solid, and causes magic to actually effect things.' Squall did not look up from the paper before him, 'But I was under the impression that mana had a habit of being easily changed into natural energy, so shouldn't this feather have vanished by now? Dissipated into the air as heat or light?' Lokai beamed at him.

'Yes, Very good! You are smarter than your average SeeD, I can see why they called you to do this mission. Its true, the feather should not be visible to us anymore, but here it is. The only thing I can think of is the force that created this feather is so powerful that even now the residual mana is holding.' Irvine looked like someone had just slapped him around the face.

'The what does the what and when?' Xu rolled her eyes.

'He's saying that the thing should have turned into another form of energy by now.'

'I get that bit,' Irvine spat indignantly, despite the blatancy of his lie, 'But how come we can still see, and touch, the feather? I didn't get that bit.' Quistis waved a hand decisively.

'It's like, when you put a coffee cup on the table and then take the cup away. For a while the table stays hot where the cup was right?' The pained look of concentration faded from the cowboys face as he punched his palm, suddenly understanding. 'I get it!' He cried. 'You're saying that the witch that made this feather has enough manners to keep the feather in that state for a long time? longer than normal?'

'Mana!' Snapped Lokai again, 'But at least you understand now.' Squall eyed the feather up and down, holding it to the light. Quistis suddenly spotted what had been bothering her.

'Your finger!' she almost shouted, making everyone jump, 'You're wearing a wedding ring!' All eyes turned from Quistis to Squall.

'Dude, did you and Rinoa-?' The hand with the finger in question went to its usual place during stress, affording everyone a clear look at the ring that did indeed adorn the hand that was resting on Squalls' forehead. It gleamed sliver and blue in the light.

'It's not a wedding ring, thank you, Quistis.' He rubbed it with some irritation, obviously this hadn't been the first time this had been brought up. 'It's a gift from Odine, since I'm so far away from Rinoa. It stops anyone drawing magic or casting silence on the wearer.'

'Muted steel?' Lokai suddenly became interested, 'But why would you be wearing it? It was invented during the sorceress wars and I had been told it was all destroyed.' Quistis coughed and leaned over to Lokai, whispering in the little mans ear.

'Ahhhhh...' A look of revaltion passed over the proffesors face.'So you're the sorcerer I've heard so much about.' (Squall shot a very angry glance at Quistis for this.) 'So it is just as I thought, if your magic is silenced or drawn out of you, then you will die, correct?' Squall reluctantly nodded.

'I don't possess enough magic for anyone to draw from me... I'm only alive right now because I'm a man...' Lokai nodded.

'Yes I theorised about this, even wrote a paper to be published after this Hyne thing dies down. I assumed you were brought back to life by being passed on some of the sorceress' power. If you had been a woman,'

'I'd have only come back long enough to pass the little power I had onto a suitable heir.'

'But being a man meant there was no suitable heir! So you remain alive until the time comes you can find one, right?' Squall nodded and Lokai was obviously delighted to have someone validate his theories. Xu clapped to gain every ones attention.

'This is all very well and good but...We still have to deal with the problem your little re-birth has caused us.' Squall squirmed uncomfortably, Hyne was indeed his fault. 'So, how do we beat her?'

'She said she was 'imcomplete' when we fought. I take that means she's not immortal.'

'Yet.' Lokai looked at him. 'If she said incomplete then we can safely assume she is aiming to be complete.' Irvine nodded along with this sound reasoning.

'So we gotta kill her soon, right?'

'Problem is,' Lokai ignored Irvine and continued, 'If that is the case and she is incomplete, then she is either immensely powerful to make herself corporeal, solid enough, to attack people...' he glanced from up from the gestures he had been making as he spoke, 'Which I doubt is the case if you could just shoot her. Understandable a well placed shot would cause her to lose all concentration and make her vanish-'

'Which is what happened!' Interrupted Irvine, fully aware the professor was insulting him subtly but unable to identify how. The wise man shook his head.

'No, it is not, or the feather would have vanished too. If she needs to focus her power to become solid, then it follows that all solidity would be lost with her focus, no?' There was a minutes silence in the briefing room as everyone thought about that.

'So this means...what exactly?' Asked Xu and Squall looked at Lokai.

'This would mean...that Hyne would need an avatar, someone through which she could act without having to focus on being solid.'

Lokai grinned again. 'Oh, I like you, son. You're right again. The most logical thing to do would be to possess someone and then only have to worry about casting magic. This would make sence of the feather, sorceress' store mana in the form of wings so they don't have to worry about their reserves being depleted without them knowing it.' Squall blinked in surprise.

'I didn't know that, I've only ever seen Rinoa with wings a few times.' Irvine chuckled.

'So Squall could have wings if he focused enough?' Lokai reached up and slapped Irvine round the head so hard his hat fell off.

'Idiot! Bafoon! Were you not listening? he said he only has the power for a few spells! certainly not enough to allow him the majesty of wings made of pure magic.'

'Sorry!' Irvine frowned and rubbed his head where he had been struck. For such a tiny man, Lokai could sure pack a wallop. 'So what, we're looking for a sorceress with black wings?'

'No...' Squall looked lost in his own thoughts, spinning the feather between thumb and forefinger just as Irvine had done on the train six weeks ago. 'If the wings are made up of mana then the wings would be whatever colour Hynes' were...It is her power, not the hosts' Xu gave up and huffed into a chair.

'So we have no leads, this person could be anywhere! Since Minira she's be striking seemingly at random...How can we catch her?' Quistis took off her glassses and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands.

'We station at people at the spot she last struck.' Lokai looked up.

'What makes you think She will strike there again?' Quistis looked him in the eye and frowned.

'Simply this,' She stated, 'there were people left alive there. She normally comes back to finish the job, eventually. Only problem with that is the armies are getting involved. The last attack site is under Galbadian military jurisdiction. It'll be tough to get in...' Irvine nodded his agreement.

'I'll go, and I'll take Zell and Selphie with me. We'll infiltrate and wait on site for another attack...Not that I'm comfortable with that, but it is better than chasing Her all over the planet.' Lokai looked at him with respect for the first time . 'This is true. in that case if we are correct in thinking that Hyne is possessing a host then if you can silence her, she should be rendered powerless for a time. It'll be hard, she'll resist the spell...But keep trying. It seems to be the only plan we have..' Squall shifted again.

'Not the only plan.' He glanced at the three people staring at him and shyed away slightly. 'I've seen this kind of feather before...' The effect of those words were imiditate. The colour drained from Quistis' face, she had obviously gotten to the conclustion quicker than anyone else. 'Where?' She whispered. Squall bit his lip.

'At my fathers house...I...I think... Rinoa could be the host.' He looked up quickly before anyone could say anything. 'But if that was the case, why hasn't she killed me already?' Xu shrugged.

'No one knows, but we have to look into this. You can take professor Lokai and Siefer back to Esthar to observe Rinoa. If she is the host then she has to change sometime.'

'But she's been ill!' Desperation in Squalls voice, regretting what he had said now. 'She's really ill..bedridden...'

'It could be the toll of being the host of an incomplete God.' shrugged Lokai. 'But this is our best lead so far, If you've seen these feathers at your home AND the sorceress you live with is sick..It can't just be coincidence. I'm sorry, but you have to accept the Host could very well be her.' Xu nodded with Lokai and began talking about drawing up the discharge and mission papers, but Quistis wasn't listening. She was watching Squall. Sorrow tightened her stomach as she watched him think of the possibility someone had Possessed Rinoa, again, right under his nose...especially after he had sworn to protect her. Had he forgotten his promise, his solemn vow as her knight? Had he just sold out the one he loved out of fear? _What have I done? Why did I say anything? Rinoa...I've failed you, in more ways than one. This is all my fault _His thoughts clear in his eyes.

With a pang Quistis realised how much he must love Rinoa, the pain in his eyes attested to that. Funny, they were here plotting to try and stop the God that had created them from killing all mankind, but in that one mans' expression Quistis could swear she could feel her world crumble around her without any effort from their terrible adversary.


	7. Guard Down

**Chapter 8 : Guard down.**

**Note:longest chapter yet, I have a holiday coming so better keep the pace up.**

Squall worried that, for the second time today, he would be stuck on a commercial fight between Balamb and Esthar. It was a great feeling of relief when Professor Lokai had explained that they had chartered their own private shuttle.

'Your friend Siefer is already aboard.' Lokai snapped his phone shut, 'Saves us having to wait. Now, My boy, tell me,' He turned his attention to the other passenger in the back of his chauffeured car, 'About all this sorcerer business.' Squall ran a hand down his face, obviously annoyed. 'We are on my way to my fathers' house,' He growled, 'In order to ascertain if my girlfriend is being used by a homicidal God to murder people, and you want to talk about trivial matters?' Lokai looked offended.

'It is hardly Trivial! You're the only on of your kind!' The sorcerer ignored him and gazed out of the window. The proffeser was not about to pass up such a unique oppertunity however. 'Alright then, Three questions. Just Three questions then I will leave you alone for the rest of the trip.' A white haze spread over the window from where Squalls' nose met the glass. He knew the scientist would never leave him alone.

_Just like Odine... _The thought krept into his head. _No doubt he would like nothing more than to prod me with something sharp to find out how I work...If I wasn't a SeeD I'm sure Odine would have pickled me by now._

'Three questions,' Squall looked at the reflection of the short, well-dressed, scientist in darkened pane that separated the driver from the passengers, 'That's all you get, and I won't answer them if I don't think they're good.' Lokai clapped and nodded, bald head bobbing with excitement.

'Of course!.' He then crossed his arms over his chest and thought hard for a moment. He seemed to come up with a suitable question and snapped his fingers. 'Miss Trepe said, that you had been injured at some point and, needed to induce sleep to recover... I understand you don't have the power to heal large wounds, but, what I want to know is this; why take tablets when surely you have the power to cast sleep on yourself, right?' It was a fair question, Squall thought, Deserving an answer. He picked his words carefully.

'Diminishing effect, The amount I would have slept under a spell would have become less and less...And wouldn't have always worked, My magic would have stopped it some of the times. The tablets kept me under all night, allowing me to heal.' This was a satisfactory answer, Lokai began to think of his next question.

'You got your powers from the Sorceress, Rino Heartilly, is it still her power or yours? Have you ever felt connected with her? can you see each others dreams? I'm very curious on what effective connection two people having the same power would have, Like GFs...Is she in your head or are you a single person?'

These questions were certainly turning out to be better than the ones Laguna and Zell had come up with, ('Do you have to be careful when you pick your nose, in case of fire?' -Typical.)

'It's not really a connection as such, Not in the psychic sence you are thinking of. I think my magic knows where it comes from...and is empathetic with its old owner. I can feel Rinoas' emotions at the back of my head if I'm close to her. Right now I feel nothing.' The professor smiled, making mental notes.

'Ah, I see! Empathy, makes more sence than a mental connection...right, Last question!' Lokais' eyes narrowed. 'Tell me, SeeD, Are you afraid of needles?'

He had dropped the ball. With perfect twenty : twenty hindsight Squalls mind connected the dots, How could he have been so stupid? The questions had been subtle, sure, but he should have noticed the subtext!

The question of his recovery had, in fact been a probe into the effectiveness of spells or drugs on him. The question about his connection with Rinoa? That had been to see if she could hear his thought, if he could call for help... A split second after Lokai had said the word 'Afraid', he had felt the hypodermic needle sink into his neck, The launcher loaded into the seats headrest.

'I'm sorry my boy,' Sighed Lokai, 'You really are a fascinating subject, and I am loathe to do this...But I cannot have anyone stand in my way. At least this way you wont have to see everything you love destroyed by Hyne.'

_He's been planning this the whole time! _Squalls' mind was racing, trying to fight off the drug in his bloodstream, _You should have been more careful. Siefers' going to have a feild day with this, You're losing your touch._ This was his last lucid though, before slipping into blackness, where the void was waiting.

The town of Setine had been under Galbadian rule ever since they had been invaded, a year before most of the orphan gang had taken their SeeD exam. Even long after Galbadia had been driven back the small town remained their territory. Luckily, for team Kinneas, the original population of the town still held less than pleasant feelings towards their new rulers; this mean there were, at least, three hotels willing to put up 'Mr and Mrs smith and Mrs. Smiths' younger brother,' free of charge.

'The soldiers are only here to be sure we townsfolk don't revolt!', The owner of the pinion hotel filled Irvine in as he waited for the SeeD to finish giving fake insurance details and Passport numbers. 'You don't know how many of us have been trying to convince the army to let us call in SeeD, then you just show up!' He handed the commander the cardkey to his room, taking the papers from him and filing them away. 'They only defend their own against this monster, so many towns Setinites have died...' Selphie clasped a hand to her mouth,.

'They just leave you to die? that's terrible!' She frowned and punched the air in her characteristic fashion. 'Don't worry old geezer, we're trained professionals and protectors of the weak. We'll take care of this evil nasty in five seconds!' Irvine rolled his eyes, pulling down his cowboy hat so as not to let the manager see, but Zell seemed to share his team mates' over zealous attitude.

'Hell yeah, I got a score to settle, I give you my word, no one else will die! This, surprisingly, delighted the hotel manager, who wrung Zells hand warmly, thanking them and offering them anything they needed, free of charge.

Nearly eight hours later however, as the sun began to set, even Selphie had to admit the caviler attitude had begun to fade; to be replaced by boredom. Setine had once been a pretty nice place, Irvine thought from his perch at the window; Rifle on his knee, surveying the town scape, before the Galbadians had moved in. Since then the areas natural resources had been plummed and stripped, leaving the once lush countryside reduced to a stark and dreary landscape, thanks to over grazing of cattle and mining. The ore refinery that had been built to accomodate the new mines belched smoke into the air, giving the sky a blurred murky feel. The cowboy smiled sadly, reflecting on how the town may have been; It was like seeing a skeleton in a museum and wondering what the creature would have looked like with flesh on its bones. Below the window, a soldier was doing his rounds. Irvine watched as he took a poorly aimed kick at a tabby cat, that had come up to him wanting its ears scratched, and frowned. 'Jerk,' He whispered, and kept an eye on the cat to make sure it was alright, he liked was satisfied the animal was fine when it sat down and began to wash itself with a fore-paw.

There was a huff and the sound something collapsing softly from behind him. Zell scratched his head out of agitation, as he always did, and glared at the failed house of cards. 'How come,' He blustered, breaking the silence again, 'That Hyne has to pick the most boring place on the planet!' He began to shadowbox, 'I've been in hospital for two weeks thanks to that witch, I want some action!' Selphie nodded in agreement, swinging her legs back and forth over the side of one of the rooms three single beds. 'Yeah, And, How come she only attacks at night?'

'My guess is She only attacks out of the way places, and only attacks at night, is to spread the enemy forces thin. Then cut them off from any reinforcement,' Mused Zell, picking at one of the freshy healed scars on his arm, a reminder of what Hyne could do, 'And attacking at night, well people aren't prepared for it...'

'Whatever,' Breathed Selphie, 'It still blows, we've been sat on our bums forever!' She fell back on the bed and shot the cracked ceiling an evil look, as though it were the fault of the plaster. 'How on earth do you put up with it Irvy?'

Irvine Kinneas was a trained sniper, used to spending hours or even days waiting for the right moment to take a shot. His ability to zone out of his surroundings, rendering him completely still, and concentrate, on only the spot he could see through the scope of his gun, made him the one of the best snipers on the planet. But how to explain the act of distancing yourself from what was going on around you, and enter a meditative state, to two people who couldn't even sit still? 'Zell,' He said finally,' Why don't you tell Seffie about what Hyne can do. She's never fought her before after all.' Zell nodded.

'Yes, sir, commander!' He saluted and turned to Selphie, suddenly serious. He paced back and forth in front of the girl, recounting, in great and graphic detail, the human bomb Hyne had nearly killed him with. It was obvious to the horrified Selphie that Zell was still angry with himself for not being able to save the old woman. He had needed to be junctioned with a GF to have allowed him to heal so quickly, and he wore his scars as a reminder of how he could not fail again. He showed Selphie the fresh pink scars that dotted his chest and stomach, and Selphie couldn't help but think he looked like a microwave meal, with its plastic wrapper stabbed by a fork.

Suddenly, Irvine stood up and hoisted his rifle to the window, looking through the scope. 'I think,' He murmered to the two people now stood behind him, 'That it's party time.' In the town below shots rang out, Soldiers were on the move and flames were snaking their way up the bell tower of the town hall, all this Irvine watched through the coin sized circle of the rifles' lens. Zell punched the window sill, making Irvine jump, 'That must be Hyne! Setting fire to buildings, just like last time. We gotta get down there!' The cowboy shook his head and silenced Zell by raising a hand.

'Not yet, those soldiers-' He was interrupted by Selphie stamping her foot.

'Those Soldiers are your countrymen, and they're going to die! You can't just watch.' She looked to Zell. 'At least, I can't watch. If anyone should take on someone bent on destroying the world, then It should be us! We have previous!' She grabbed Zell by the wrist and charged out of the room, Leaving Irvine to stare at the point she had been, mouth agape. He groaned, loudly, he loved that woman but sometimes she drove him up the wall. He shouldered his rifle and ran after them.

Despite having fought Hyne before, Irvine and Zell were nowhere near prepared to fight the Hyne that stood before them now. Soldiers lay defeated on the ground about the place and the pavement was torn up to reveal pipes. Hyne stood in the middle, Once again, as before, a vortex of power and magic. Zell rounded the corner, leaping over a soldier that had been blasted his way by the Sorceress.

'Hyne!' He cried out, energy flowing into his fist as he prepared a singular, powerful attack. 'You're mine this time!' The shadow raised an arm and forced a car through the air, aimed Directly at the charging SeeD. Zell jumped, foot making contact with the bonnet of the viechle(*) as it spun towards him. He kicked off the car, giving himself an extra boost of height, easily clearing ten meters. The energy in his fist was visible now, a glowing, pulsating yellow, shining like the midday sun, It illuminated the tattoo on the side of his face and the furious expression he wore. He straightened out like a diver approaching the water, arm outstretched, all his weight focused behind the clenched hand, the resulting force behind it now could have leveled a T-rexaur in one punch. Irvine grabbed Selphie from behind and ducked, protecting her as the forgotten car now passed just over their heads, crushing a lamppost and shop window, before bursting into flames. With one hand Irvine held Selphie close to his chest, protecting her from the blast, the other held the hat to his head. He released the girl and spun on his heel, raising the but of his gun up to rest on his arm, and saw what Zells' attack had done.

'She stopped it?' Selphie pulled out her Nunchuku, from their holster strapped to her back, and shifted her weight into a battle stance. Zells' attack hit some kind of wall before it could come i contact with the target. He fought, willing the attack to pass through the invisible barrier, urged on by the fact all Hybe had done was raise a hand. He screamed and put everything behind the punch, being held aloft by that cushion of power that prevented His hand from touching the Sorceress, but it was in vain. There was a force, a sonic blast that almost swept Selphie off her feet, it pushed away all debris as it reflected the SeeDs attack back out, away from the target. Zell was sent tumbling through the air, hands over his head to protect himself from the landing. Irvine dropped his gun and jumped in the fighters path, The blonde colliding with his stomach, the pair sliding across the street, coming to rest just shy of the flames from the exploded car. 'Irvine!'

Hyne was before him, hand raised to strike. Selphie spun on on foot and scooped up the abandoned gun, letting the momentum of the spin carry it further as she released it in Irvines' direction. The sharpshooter snatched it up in one fluid movement, planting round after round into Hynes' torso. Or where Hynes' torso had been a split second before. Zell wasted not a second and was on his feet at Irvines side, facing the oposite way in case of an attack from behind. It was still for a second, Irvines' gun raised before him and Zells fists defending his back. 'Look out!' Selphie tried to warn them in time, the attack was coming from above! She had no time but to cast tornado in the path of the huge, pulsing purple missile that the sorceress had formed her shadows into. Zell had been fast enough to roll out of the way but Irvine was thrown forward by Selphies spell, out from under the crushing magic. The winds swirled and encompassed the missile, dampening most of the damage, forcing most of the attack up and out of the top of the widening funnel of dust and debris borne on the air.

The sky seemed to shudder, as a pillar of purple light shot from the eye of the whirlwind and pierced the smoke of the refineries. The clouds parted at once, magic carried in the light clearing the way, the failing sunlight shining in for a moment before it finally died, slipping down behind the horizon. It was as though Hyne had blown up the sun. The three SeeD covered their eyes from the last of the light and dust spilling forth from the localised tornado. The two forces had cancelled each other out, the resulting energy sweeping even the bodies from the pavement and slamming them into the houses and shop windows. Selphie wrapped one arm around a lamppost, her weapon flailing over her shoulder, feet lifted from the ground. The last of the attack faded as the dust settled, revealing a great and deep crater where the missles' force had preceded it. Irvine slowly stood up, wiping dirt from his eyes. 'Did we do it?'

The cracking of the pavement shattered any premature thoughts of victory. 'Foolish SeeD!' Hyne burst up through the pavement, sending all three of them flying, Shadows racing back to robe the figure once again. Zell glanced up just in time to make a horrible revelation. The Shadows had swept up a soldier trying to hide in a alleyway. The mans screams were terrible at the darkness probed and searched him, before sinking in through any opening there was. The eyes vanished under the pressure of the roving blackness, the man writhed in pain but Zell could not draw his eyes away. He knew the others would be watching, captivated as he was. The body soon stopped moving, before withering before their eyes like an aged fruit, Empty and dried, drained of all life. Hyne cast the body away, as one would throw away a bottle after finishing the drink., The red glow of her eyes intensified. 'Do you see SeeD? As long as there are people I cannot, I will not, be defeated by the likes of mere mortals.

'God job that GFs aren't mortal then huh?' Selphie swung the Nunchuck above her head, a flame appearing in the spot just above it. 'Come forth,' She cried, a flame growing in size it heat fierce and unrelenting. The air around it shimmered as all moisture was evaporated in an instant. 'I call to thee Ifrit! Warden of the eternal flame!' The fire ball expanded, enveloping the caster, Zell grinned and hooted with joy. 'Go Seffie! Go Ifrit, Kick her ass!' The form of a great horned beast appeared in the writing tidal wave of flame.

'Her?' Hyne chuckled, 'Never before has such a short sentence been so wrong.' The shadows surrounding the figure swept forward and lept onto the flames, turning them from red to black. The SeeDs watched in horror as the image of the guardian force in the flame was twisted and drained just like the soldier. The shadows returned, leaving Selphie on her knees, panting for air, exhausted. The Darkness that before had covered Hyne now formed great black wings, allowing the SeeD the first clear view of their enemy. Irvine took a step back, horrified. The figure was indeed a man, not a woman as they had been told. Long sliver hair trailed down to the waist, deep black lines in the form of magical runes were scarred into the mans flesh. He was naked, or seemed to be, Black feathers trailed down his back and curled upward between his legs to save his modesty. Hyne laughed at their terrified faces.

'Here I stand, your lord and creator, so close to completion and all you can do is cower?' He raised a hand to his face and brushed aside a strand of, almost white, hair from his red and glowing eyes with one, three inch long, black fingernail. The face that greeted them from behind the bangs sent shivers down Irvines' spine. 'You.' His fist was shaking with anger and fear, 'It was you?' His eyes narrowed to a slit as he glared at the, now, demi-god that hovered in the air before them. 'You were there...You stood in that room, and let us believe we would be fighting our friend Rinoa?' He spat dust from his mouth and raised his gun. 'You led us down a merry path didn't you? We danced to your tune, Fact is you've been Hyne since you got back, Haven't you Squall?' Hyne laughed once again. Indeed the face was that of Squall, their good and close friend. 'You have a good eye, and yes, you are correct.' Selphie gasped and shook her head in disbelief. 'Or at least,' Hyne continued, 'You were right. I no longer have need for that human.'

'Then let him go you son of a-' Zell was about to charge forward, fist raised, but Irvine held him back.

'If he wants to talk we better let him...' Irvines eyes flashed,,and Zell understood. The code words had been uttered, inside Irvines coat (If it was still in one piece) a communicator sent out a beacon now, calling back up from the nearby surroundings. If need be they could end this in an air strike from Garden herself. Hyne shook his head.

'You misunderstand me. I have no need for this Squall anymore, so Ive done away with it.' He chuckled in that ethereal voice, 'He may have been the one to give birth to me, allowing me to awaken from my sleep of ages, but I don't keep that which I don't need.' Selphie almost lost it there.

'Squall..gave birth to you?' Irvine squeezed her hand as her voice broke into a sob.

'Idiot, Not in the sense you believe.' Hyne looked at his newly acquired physical body and smiled. He swept an arm out and the three were at once pinned to a wall. 'You got lucky before. Back then I did Indeed inhabit the mind of your friend, This Squall, But now his taint is gone, I am free of him. I am my own being now and my power is incomprehensible. I sslept for ages, hiding in the back of the mind of countless sorceress' waiting for the day when there would be one, a male, who would inherit my power. And your friends lifeless corpse welcomed me! Once inside the body of a man once again I was able to grow, to take over...Now I have a host over which I have total control! There's none that can stop me!' Hyne laughed aloud again. 'And you thought I was a woman! Amusing creatures...all It takes is one theologian to spout some nonsensical opinion and the truth shatters. I even had that Rinoa girl under my spell, even planted the idea she was the host in Squalls' mind, so you would not suspect the person I hid inside was the one who loved her most.'

Zell growled, fighting Hynes' grip. 'You, Let Him go. With the four of us We'd kick your ass from her to next year.' Hyne shook his head.

'I'm afraid that even if Squall was with us anymore, I would decline. As amusing as it would be to fight the best Garden has to offer, I was in Squalls mind long enough to learn of garden proceedure.' He grinned, pointed white teeth gleamed. 'I know you have back up coming, and I am not prideful enough to get stupid. I am not yet complete, Under an attack from garden missles I would be as dust in the wind.' He waved an arm dramatically, 'I shall leave you to warn them...tell them That once I am complete...the first thing I will come for, is garden. It would be so easy to crush you now!' he snapped his fingers, the force holding Selphies' arms to the wall increased, shattering her bones as she let out a long and piercing scream. Irvine struggled to be free, to go to his lover, to comfort her.

'SELPHIE! No, No you don't you asshole! Stop it, I swear I'll kill you myself! Face me coward!' Hyne wagged on finger, teasingly and spoke out, above Selphies' pained sobbing.

'To easy...I would wish to fight you with all your strength, all your rage, once I am complete. I've even sent a gift to your headmistress, to stir up the soldiers as it were. Until then I do wish you'd prepare yourselves better this time, this was a pathetic attempt on SeeDs' part, I do not wish to be disappointed again.' Hyne folded his wings around him and vanished in a flurry of feathers, as helicopter searchlight swung over him. Garden was here. Irvine was released from the wall and now cradled Selphie in his arms, awaiting help, and swearing revenge.


	8. Role Reversal

**Chapter 9 : Role Reversal**

_Notes: ^^ filler just to slow down the story a bit._

_Summary: What will Rinoa do after finding out the fate of her beloved?_

Rinoa wept silently. All hope seemed lost, Hyne was back, Irvine and Zell had been powerless to stop him, And now it turned out, by some sick twist of fate, that she had been the one th bring him back. She knew Laguna was sat outside the door, in a similar state to her own, But she couldn't bring herself to face the man, not yet. She looked down at the report Irvine had faxed over, including notes, to see if she could find some kind of clue, one faint spark of hope.

Report for mission 42956b

Team Kinneas met with hostile forces at 10:43pm.  
Battle ensued and was finished by 11:21pm. Team  
Kinneas was not victorious. Hostile element escaped  
and has threatened Garden and all associated SeeD.

This is considered a grade S Threat.

_Irvines' note: S means up the creek without a  
__paddle or prayer._

__Full force is authorised in event of contact.

Result of mission :

S: 2 / 0 / 1

C/O : 32 / 98 / 29

_Irvines' note : S = SeeD, C/O = Civilian or other._

_numbers = Casulties / deaths / Injured._

Mission status : Failure.  
Post report Review: Unavoidable.

In short, the whole affair had been a total disaster, and It looked as if Selphie would never fight again. Every bone in her arms had been shattered, even healing with a GF junctioned would be long and painful, in comparison Zell had gotten lucky, and Hyne hadn't even been trying. This alone would have been enough to upset her, but then there was Hynes' 'package'. It had arrived around the same time Irvine had been giving his report the first time round, and gave weight to the words Hyne had spoken. It had been forwarded to Lagunas' office by Quistis, with a note that had simply said; 'I'm sorry'. Rinoa had opened the box on Lagunas' desk and had been crying ever since, her world had been shattered. Inside had been the ring that Squall had been given by Odine, bloody and potmarked, and Squalls' cherished 'Lionheart' gunblade. The blade was melted, twisted and broken. Quistis had included a damage report for the shuttle Lokai had chartered for their trip, It seemed to have crashed thanks to an explosion from somewhere inside the ships hull. Indeed, according to the report, the pilots last transmission had been that of panic as one of the passengers, 'Dark, tall, has a scar on his face,' had begun destroying the ship with magic. Rinoa had phoned Irvine and demanded to know what was going on, and he had begrudgingly told her about what Hyne had said about Squall, so as to get back to Selphie as quickly as possible.

So she had been the one to put Hyne inside Squall in the first place? And her falling Ill had been to throw them off his scent? Rinoa stared at her trembling hands, she had often wondered where the power of the sorceress' came from, why the power wouldn't let its owner die without passing it on...Now it made sense. The power was nothing more than the gift of a parasite, half a dormant god slept in the head of every sorceress on the plant, giving the host some of its own power in order so they could protect the thing they unwittingly had secreted away. _That's all we are_, She sobbed and held herself tight, suddenly feeling dirty, _We're not some mystical being at all. We were just playing 'Mother' to some monster that wanted us dead!_She, and countless others, had been used. All the years of suffering to, and caused by, the sorceress' had been only to find a suitable male body to inhabit, so Hyne could become whole again.

_And I gave him Squall..._

Everyone knew the story, how, centuries ago Hyne had given half his body to the people, and had hidden half of it away, out of their reach. He must have passed his 'soul', and power, into the only being capable of housing two separate souls in the same body; a woman. Putting even a fraction of that soul into Squall would have killed him; if he had been alive at the time. His own soul had been running from that thing in his head, never wanting to close his eyes for fear of something he could not name._ He hadn't been running from what happened in the time compression, he was trying to hide from what I did to him! _Rinoa clasped the key chain from Squalls' gunblade to her chest, was it possible that it wasn't Squall she had brought back, like Irvine had said? Had it always been Hyne? Rinoa closed her eyes and thought back, over the past few months, trying to remember a day when she had been sure she knew the man that had been with her, had claimed to love her...

_Squall was sat on a sofa, it was one of his rare days off since becomming 'aide to president Loire.' The sun shone through the window, draped over Squall like a comforter, causing his eyes to shine a bright ocean blue. On the TV was some old soppy movie 'The Sorceress and the knight?' Rinoa crossed the lounge from where she had been in the kitchen and lent over the back of the sofa, 'Wasn't your fath- Uh, sorry, Laguna in this movie? Thought this would be the last thing on the planet you'd be watching of your own free will.' Squall looked up, lines on his forehead slopping in towards his scar._

_'I wasn't going to watch it, but then I figured it might be educational.'_

_'Educational?' Rinoa hopped over the back of the expensive sofa, something Kiros' would have screamed at her for,and Squall wrapped a protective arm around her. _

_'Yeah well, Aren't I supposed to be your knight?' She looked up into the mans eyes._

_'My...knight?'_

_'Yes, yours, you goof.' He rested his forehead against hers and chuckled slightly, 'Unless I lost the job?' Rinoa blinked and shook her head._

_'N-No, you still have the job, If you still want it, I just figured you might need a knight of your own now.' Her knight smiled. creases appearing at the corners of his eyes. He planted a kiss softly on her lips, pulling her close to him. She giggled as he rubbed his nose with his own, such an open sign of affection from him, she knew he could never do this in public. She nestled against his well toned chest, feeling it rise and fall as he breathed, to watch the movie._

_'Hey,' Rinoa looked up at him, 'Isn't that an old Revolver Gunblade your da-uh, sorry, Lagunas' using?' Squall smiled at her keen eye._

_'It is indeed,' He looked down at her, 'And call him my Dad if you have trouble calling him Laguna.'_

_'And you're alright with that?' Squall shrugged._

_'It doesn't matter how I feel about it, it's a fact, I can't change that.' Under the piercing gaze Rinoa gave him now he shifted uncomfortably. 'What?'_

_'You should feel something, even you, shouldn't you be angry at him, or pleased, not just neutral.' Squall sat for a moment, watching the man they were discussing fight a dragon on screen._

_'I...I was mad, at first. He abandoned me and my mother but...' His face fell as he struggled to find the words, feeling Rinoa silently willing him on, to get in touch with his feelings. 'He's actually using the gunblade well, his stance is a little off, but then I was only in his head when he wa-'_

_'Squall!' Rinoa snapped, 'Don't change the subject.' Squall frowned, then sighed deeply._

_'I was mad, but He didn't even know I was alive... And he knew Ellone was safe and Raine had died.' He fel silent again, the surge of emotion causing his eyes to glisten in a way Rinoa had never seen before. When he spoke again, it was quietly. 'He had no reason to come back, that and he was stuck here. When he finally learnt he had a son from Elle so many years later...I was already a part of a military organisation and Esther was a secret. If he came to speak to me two things would have happened; Esthar would have revealed itself to a world on the brink of another sorceress war...and that world would have seen Esther reaching out to SeeD, It would have meant war, Rinoa.' Pain flashed across his face. 'He gave up a chance of knowing his son to protect his people. I can't be mad at him for that, If I had kids in the same situation then I would have done the same.' Rinoa gave Squall a hug that told how proud she was of him. He ran a hand through his hair an smiled._

_'Do you think,' She looked at him again, 'You'll ever have kids?' The mans' stoic expression didn't change._

_'One day, if you wanted them too.' These words shocked her._

_'You...want kids with me?' Squall looked puzzled._

_'I'm your knight, far as I am concerned that's a life long job, unless you fire me.' He smiled faintly, 'And I never give up on a job. I will protect you forever Rinoa...' He caught her evil glare at the word 'job' and chuckled. 'I do this for me, Rin, I do it...because I want to...' He swallowed loudly, the next few words were going to be the first time they had ever been uttered by him in his life. 'Because Rinoa, I...I love you, and I'll be your knight, at your side, forever.'_

'No!' Rinoa opened her eyes and jumped from the bed, ring still grasped in her hand. 'There's no way that it was Hyne that whole time!' She flung open the door and marched down the hall, unable to accept Irvines' words. Laguna struggled to his feet behind her, 'Rin!' he called, chasing after her. Rinoa had come to a halt in front of the Desk in Lagunas' office, Face set in a look of fiery determination. She wrenched the phone out from under a pile of papers and punched in a number. Laguna had caught up with her now and was panting, hands on his knees.

'Rin, what're-?' Rinoa raised a finger to her lips to silence him.

'Hello? Quistis? I want to put in a request to hire SeeD,' Her eyes flashed brightly, 'I think it's time the sorceress saved the knight. And I don't care if it's Hyne that's got my Squall, if there's even the slightest chance that hes' still in there, then I will save him!'

Laguna watched, open-mouthed, as Rinoa began to orchestrate plans' to save her boyfriend, his son. He had no idea how forceful the 'princess' could be._ Nothing like her mother..._ He grinned.


	9. The nightmare of seven days ago

Chapter 10: The nightmare of seven days past.

summary: so we know where hyne came from, but what part does lokai have to play in all this?

notes: I know my witing style can be confusing and is very dialogue heavy, but this is the last of the 'explanation' chapters. The fight starts tomorrow!

The plan was beautiful in its simplicity, Rino had even drawn diagrams in pencil to show the SeeDs exactly what she wanted them to do. 'It's easy!' She pointed at three stick figures on a leaf of paper, all had blue squigly lines around them. 'You three,' She nodded to Irvine, Zell and Quistis, 'Junction up, to the teeth, then we move on to phase two.' Rinoa pointed now to a new picture. The squigly lines around the three figures now surrounded a fourth, much better drawn, Image of herself. 'Then I draw all the magic from you guys, making me super strong!' A final piece of paper had been brought out and slapped ontop of the others. It showed Rinoa hitting a figure, that resembled Squall with horns, with a large paper fan. 'I beat up Hyne, Draw him out of Squall, and we all go hom.' Rinoa grinned, 'It's idiotproof.'

'Except one thing...' Irvine looked over the images, 'It doesn't tell us how we find Hyne.'

'Leave zat to me!' Odines' top knot was only just visible over the table, along with a portion of his rediculous collar. 'I didn't spend a lifetime of research into ze Sorceress' and not pick up a zing or two. I'm sure I can put togezzer zome kind ov tracking device on zat airship you stole.'

'That airship we salvaged,' Corrected Quistis, 'But can this plan work?' The top knot wobbled furiously.

'Ov course it vill vork! I am ze vun who advised ze Sorceress on ze best course ov action.' Rinoa looked quistis in the eye.

'We have to make it work.' She shook her head solemly, 'Squall needs us, needs our help...and we are the only ones that can save him. I don't think He'd ever forgive us if we let him destroy all mankind.'

Zell grinned at Rinoas' words. 'So we get to sock it to Hyne, and pay back Squall for all his stoic behaviour? show him he does have friends that give a damn and that he ain't alone? I'm all for it!'

Laguna smiled at the tattooed youth, pleased at the company that His son had kept in the years of his absence. He thumped his desk, around which they were sat, and looked at the SeeDs'.

'I say, as soon as we are prepared and stocked up, we lock and move out!'

Squall was lost, adrift in his own head, unable to control what had once been his body. It was like those brief few moments, in the dead of night, where you wake up only to realise you're still dreaming, the point where the soul is furthest from the body, and theres nothing you can do about it. How much could he endure before he gave up and his spirit faded away? He ran a hand through his hair, trying to come up with a way out of this...whatever it was. He was trapped inside a maze of darkness, of nightmares, his own personal hell. No matter how far he ran, through the pitch black that surrounded him in all directions, he would stumble into one horror after another, and finding himself with the distinct feeling he was back where he started.

Last time he had opened his eyes again, turned to his left, and walked straight into another terrible senario. He had been with Rinoa when Ultimecia had suddenly burst from her back, making him her knight, forcing him to do unspeakable things to his friends and the world. Before that he had been back in D-district prison, Siefer still at the switch of the current used to torture him. He had been asked impossible questions, like the circumference of Queztacoatls neck, then shocking him when he, unsurprisingly, couldn't answer. These dreams would fade when he eventually ceased to be afraid of them, but that was taking longer and longer each time, his ability to tell the difference between dream and reality was failing. He knew the longer he was here, the more the chance that he would stop wishing to wake up, and start wishing to die. In that case that Hyne would come and destory him, but at the same time he knew something kept the God away, something beastial that lurked somewhere in the maze. Squall knew if he could find the source of that feeling then he could stop Hyne, though he had no idea how he knew it.

With a deep sigh he set off, once again, into the blackness. It took a while, a bit longer than last time, but Squall soon felt the familiar humidity that preceded every nightmare, and the humidity was quickly followed by the fall. He let out a scream, pointless when no one could hear him, as the solidity of the blackness beneath his feet failed suddenly. It was an odd sensation, falling when you had no visual evidence to that affect, only the feeling of his stomach trying to exit through his chest. To an onlooker, it was seem as if Squall had fallen into a version of himself, his body in that particular dream. When the body opened it's eyes, it had no memory of the fall. Infact Squall had no memory of the maze at all, such was the nature of slipping into a nightmare. The nightmare in question had set his memories back, seven days back.

In the nightmare of secen days ago, Squall blinked. The light burned his eyes and he felt as though he had been hit in the head with something very hard.

'Ah, It is awake,' Came a voice that grated on his skull almost as much as the light did, 'I welcome you to my lab. I apologise for the headache, a side effect of the drug I'm afraid. Squall squinted down from his elevated position, which was strapped, upright, to some kind of metal slab.

'Lokai' He rasped, his throat dry, 'What am I-?'

'-Doing here?' The sharply dressed scientist laughed, bald head gleaming as he shook with mirth. 'Why, my boy, we are here to deal with the host, just like you wanted. Though, maybe not in the way you wanted.'

[The host?]

'Rinoa, is she?' Squall choughed, 'If you think, tying me up like this, is going to spare you the world of pain thats coming. If you have touched even one hair on her head, I'll kill you.' The last three words were reduced to a throaty growl. To the Sorcerers' amazement, the small man laughed. He laughed so hard, in fact, that he had to wipe tears from his eyes. 'What's so funny?'

'Oh, My son, you have it so wrong' He turned from Squall and made his way across the hap-hazardly put together lab, jumping over cables and tools that lay scattered about. 'I can assure you,' He grunted, pulling over a large panel covered with a sheet, 'That your Rinoa is quite safe from me.' The professor chuckled again, 'From you on the other hand, I'm not so sure.'

'What are you talking about?' Squall snapped at the irritating little man, 'I'd never hurt Rinoa, and there's nothing you or anyone could do to me, to change that! Even if she's the host, I will save her. I'd never let you or anyo-' Lokai tutted and wagged a finger at the captive.

'Master Loire, I'm afraid you've got the wrong end of the stick, again. Rinoa is not Hynes' host.' Squall blinked.

'She's not?' Relief flooded him, despite knowing he should take the mans words with a pinch of salt, the very thing he had wanted to avoid by distancing himself from people in the first place...

'No, no, dear boy. She is not, but, you are.' With these words, Lokai pulled back the sheet covered in the panel. It took Squall a few seconds to realise what he was seeing, but when he did, he screamed.

'What have you done to me, Lokai? What have you done?' Squall stared in horror at the mirror before him, ignoring the obvious glee his distress was giving the proffessor, but even though it was supposed to be his reflection, the only thing he recognised where his eyes. He turned his head to one side, seeing the mirror image do the same, confirming it was infact him he saw in the glass. He was naked from the waist up, Dark runic markings were scored into his flesh, curling around his abdomen where they spread out, only to rejoin on his collarbone and cheeks. His hair, though long before, now trailed to his waist and was shot with streaks of silver. The hands clasped at his sides ended in thick, black, claw-like nails, and, pinned up behind him with clasps, two great black feathered wings had burst from his shoulderblades. Even the scar, which he had come to feel was as much part of him as his hair, had turned black. Squall fought the restraints, for the first time, feeling the pull of the new limbs on his back.

'I have done nothing to you, save give Hyne the time, and energy, he needed to begin to prepare your body for his takeover.' Lokai smiled, a twisted, feral smile that sat ill on his face. 'You should be rejoicing, you are being reborn as God!.' Squall almost cried out in dispair.

'A god that wants to destroy everything. Hyne has, No, I've killed people-'

'Only the non-believers!' The professor pulled over a chair, scrammbling up so he could look Squall in the eye. 'Only those who do not swear themselves to Hyne, To you, Don't you see? It is only those who are undeserving of his gift that need fear God.'

'And what gift is that?'' The changing Squall sneered.

'Why, Life, of course.' Lokai placed a hand on Squalls' cheeck, who tried as best he could to pull away. 'Hyne gave life to us, all of us. Even you he rose from the grave, did he not?'

'That wasn't Hyne, that was Rinoa! Hyne only created us as tools, then tricked us when we tried to stop him from killing us all.' 'Squall spat these words with fury,' What sort of God is that?' He blinked black tears from his eyes, they burned as they rolled down his cheeks, 'What sort of God am I turning into?' All his former shell, his stoic mask forgotten, as he realised just what fate awaited him. Lokai hushed him, stroking his hair as a parent would.

'He created us to share in this paradise. Even when, as so many say, he tricked us, it was togive us yet another, wonderful gift. We were as sheep in the field, knowing nothing, only sleeping and eating and multiplying, with no regard for our fellow man, only of ourselves. We cared not for those we would lay down with, nor our offspring... It was then Hyne saw his mistake.' The short man sighed sadly. 'We were but emotionless drones. He wanted to put us out of our misery, He wanted to start again, But selfish as we are, mankind fought back. In the end, Hyne made the greatest sacrifice, he gave up his body, half his power, to bestow on us that which raises us above the lowly animals we had once been. He gave us something so powerful, that it even allows us to protect those we care about in death.' Lokais' tones were reverant, like that of a priest.

[Thats just what he is, a priest...and one that's trying to help this monster destroy the world...]

'Our lord, Hyne, Gave us the power to love.' The professor dropped from the chair and crossed the room, apparently on a mission. 'I've been a scientist for fourty eight years, but a follower of Hyne my whole life. My research has been solely to aid him, to repay the kindness he once showed us. Did you know, he was the one who gave us Guardian Forces? Another testament to his everlasting love for us. Every man. woman and child has the power to bring a GF into being, if their wish to protect, thier love, is pure and true.'

Squall could feel something stir inside him at these words, was it his own faith? Or was it disgust? What ever it was, it made him uncomfortable. 'And you think, by being his loyal servant, he'll spare you?' Lokai had his back turned to Squall still, so he was unable to read his captives expression.

'No, I doubt I will be sparred, for it has taken me so long to free him.' He sighed sadly, as though he pitied the being he was sure would kill him. 'He was trapped for so long, in the minds of his daughters, when all it would have taken was a willing son, to sacrifice himself to bring back our lord.'

'That's all I am? some sacrifice?' Lokai turned around and smiled.

'Yes, thats just what you are.'

'But not a willing one!'

'No, but you willingly let him into your body, well, you didn't object.' Squall was hit by the unfairness of it all.

'I was...I was dead, I couldn't object!' Lokai giggled a high pitched, almost child like giggle.

'I know! and thats what made it so beautiful. Now, One thing I've learnt from my observation of you, is that, Hyna can only contorl his new body while your contious mind dreams.' He made his way across the lab towards the captive, something behind his back. 'Don't worry, after taking evrything into account, this little shot should be just enough to put you into a chemical coma,' He waved the needle he had been hiding, 'Only a light one, I need you to dream.' He climbed the chair once again. 'Goodbye, my boy, If it's any consolation, we will all be joining you soon..'

There was no fighting it, no escaping the needle in Lokais' stubby fingers. Squall writhed, trying to summon any amount og magic to help him, but cried out when it was in vain. He felt the point pierce his skin and the icy fluid spill into his veins. 'No!, I can't, It can't end like this!' He was thinking aloud, all his concentration on trying to keep his eyelids open. 'I have to...Protect...Rinoa...' In the end, sleep claimed him, and once again he was thrown into the darkness.

This time however, he was not alone in this world of nightmare. A familiar and not unfriendly voice seemed to whisper to him, as he crouched, shaking in the hell in his head. The words entered his mind and filled him with that feeling of bestail power, he had felt in the maze.

[Do not lose heart. You need to remain strong. She is coming for you, your sorceress. You can beg her forgiveness, for your failure to be a true knight to her, by showing her, once and for all, the mesure of your love for her. You know this power, you have fought it all your life, My dark voice in the back of your mind. Just as Lokai said, though you face the end, the end of all things, In death you can still protect her. You shall not come to nothing, your suffering alone all these years has given rise to something far greater than yourself... When the time comes, you shall see once again, and you shall come to me...Squall Leonheart.]

The voice faded, and the knight was alone again, with nothing but the blackness of eternity strecthing out before him...

The second voice he heard, stirred him from his silent torment, An age after the dark had whispered to him...

'Squall!'

Somewhere, out there, Rinoa was calling his name.


	10. The Final Curtain Rises

**Chapter 11 :The final curtain rises.**

_Summary : The troupe finally confront their old comrade, but can they really fight Squall?_

_Notes: still pissed off that the last few hours of spell checking the last 2 chapters didn't stick . I re-did them 3 times so it looks like I'm going to have to do them at a later date, Ill email this one to a friend to check. I hope I get it back before tonights' update. I also hope you guys forgive me! I try oh so hard to be sure that I update every night that I am forced to use my lappy to write on, which only has word-pad on it. ^w^ Now to see if the changes stick this time!_

_P.s - the tactic mentioned here was the one I used on the final boss of ff8, Except I switched Quistis for Squall._

Odine had been as good as his word, using technology developed after study of Ellones' powers, the scanner was complete within a few hours. It was simply a glass chamber, that held a lock of Rinoas' hair, filled with sensors and hooked up to the Raganroks' digital map. A green arm swept over the image, displaying everything magical on the ground with a green dot and a small 'beep!'. At first Laguna had complained it was too sensitive, as they flew over the continents from a considerable height, it picked up even the smallest magical disturbance. Balamb garden lit up and sent the speakers rattling with the high pitched whine, obviously students getting to grips with Guardian forces. There wasn't another disturbance like that for good few hours, until they flew over an old abandoned Galbadian research facility deep in the mountains. They flew low enough to see the place had attracted monsters, thanks to the research that had taken place here. Galbadia had once tried to emulate the powers of Guardian forces, long ago, to give them a lead in battle, but they had to use monsters as their source of magic. The team aboard the Ragnarok would have to be quick, no doubt other militant forces were looking for the winged figure, that had been terrorising the continents, and they would not be willing to show the mercy that the SeeD would. If anyone bar SeeD found Squall...then it was highly likely that the young man would destroy whatever force confronted him, and unlike his friends, they had a no chance of bringing him to his senses.

The facility was similar to that of D-District prison in its design, the great cone shaped building spiraled down into the ground. Unlike the prison, this could not be raised from the ground, the team needed to make their way down the old fashioned way. Laguna and ward were sat in the cock-pit of the airship, in its upright dragon form, giving covering fire to the SeeD, short lazer burts scattering monsters and allowing them clear passage into the lab. Quistis stopped them as they ducked into the doorway, away from the blasts from the Ragnarok, She checked them over.

'We all fully prepared here? Juntioned, with weapons ready? Zell?' Zell nodded and patted his jacket down.

'Yes ma'am, Shiva, Siren and the jelly bean all present,' the jelly bean was his nickname for pandemonium, 'As well as enough Phoenix downs to stuff a couch.' The headmisstress nodded.

'Give me the downs, I'll take up the back line with Irvine and provide cover until Rinoa has finished drawing our magic. Zell, you and Irvine will be charged with keeping the target busy. Irvine will use silencing shots and you will do your best to keep Hyne away from us. I doubt the shots will work, but I'm sure they'll irritate him. Remember, This could be a trap, it could be just the remains of the experiments done here, or we could be facing the worst threat to hit since Ultimecia, We'll only get through this if we all stick to the plan and follow Rinoas' plan.' Quistis shook her head, 'It's that or we have to take out Squall. I know we don't want to, but we may not have a choice.' No one argued. The group nodded silently, and entered the facility.

The walls were made completely from metal, rusting, with painted signs on them in fading Galbadian. The corridor wound down like a screw, different levels requiring different key cards to access them, each floor connected by a lift shaft that travelled down ten floors, before being replaced by another lift. As a result, there was no single elevator that went all the way to the bottom. Irvine groaned, 'We have three options...' He looked at Zell, who was landing a final blow to a monster that had wondered a bit to close. Several other that had been watching backed off slowly, they didn't fancy the idea of a dinner that fought back.

'First,' he continued after the creature had stopped squealing, 'Is we blast the doors open, And that will take serious time. The power is out, so the doors aren't locked, but they're blast doors, and too heavy to lift.' He hit a low flying bat-like creature with the but of his gun, while the death throes and sounds of fighting were rife in the facility, the sound of a gunshot would have been too alien. 'The second, Is we para-sail down the middle maintenance shafts at the next junction.'

Quistis shot down this idea straight away. 'No way, we could get halfway down to discover the shafts collapsed, And I don't think we have time to be climbing up and down all day.'

'Then our last option, is to make our way down through the lifts. It'll be slower, we'll have to climb down the shafts one at a time, but at least that we we'll be able to see any blockages coming.' Zell scratched his head.

'Why are we going to the bottom, just a thought, couldn't Hyne be on one of the higher floors?' Rinoa nodded.

'Yeah, couldn't he? makes sense, wouldn't have to climb all the way down every night then.' Irvine glanced at Quistis and sighed.

'If he is here, then my guess he'd be on the only floors with power...and those are the last ten. The generator down there hasn't been touched by monsters yet.' It was solid logic, so they began their slow decent down, Irvine and Zell pulling open the doors to the lift shaft, while the girls slid down first. Zell was the last into the space, climbing onto the cables that once held moved the lift, before lowering himself down and into the top of the unmoving lift where he and Irvine had to open the doors again. Every now and then the lift would be on a different floor than the bottom, and Zell would climb up to winch it down manually. It was slow, painstakingly so, but never once did they have to turn back, something, they discovered, they would have had to do if they had gone down the middle shaft anyway. When the climbed out onto the fortieth floor, they were greeted by the sight of the walls bending inwards from the central shaft.

'The bridges connecting the panels must have collapsed.' Irvine panted, catching his breath. 'Good thing we didn't go down there, or we'd have to climb up again. The panels here are busted shut, short of blowing a hole in the wall we'd have been stuck in there.' Zell agreed, wiping sweat from his brow.

'Not only that,' he breathed, 'it's still coming down by the sounds of it, Listen.' The troupe fell silent, Rinoa had stopped wiping the oil on her hands from the cables on Zells' jacket and looked around.

'That banging? But that's coming from below us...' Three pairs of ears strained to listen. Indeed, a few floors down, they could hear a rhythmic pounding.

'That's forty to one! I love that song.' Zell grinned, then it dawned on him what that meant. 'There's someone down there...Playing drums?' Irvine slapped Zell round the back of the head.

'Idiot, if thats anything I'd say it was someone bored hitting a wall.'

'Typical prisoner behaviour,' Nodded Quistis, 'Could be Squall...or it could be...' The made their way to the next shaft, climbing down until they came to the floor with the source of the banging, a floor with power, they must be near the bottom. Most of the doors were broken, but one looked new. It wasn't rusted or bent inwards like the others, it was a newly installed security door, a cell. A faint singing could be heard from inside. Irvine looked to Quistis. 'That's not Hynes' voice...'

'It's not Squalls' either.' Rinoa joined in. Quistis listened for a moment, fully aware it could be a trap, but then her face lit up.

'I know that voice!' She cried, a grin on her face, 'Seifer!' The banging stopped then began in earnest as the prisoner tried to attract the speakers attention.

'Yo! In here!' Siefer shouted. Irvine rolled his eyes.

'And I thought we were trying to be stealthy...' He looked at the control panel and studied it for a moment. 'Code locked...'

'I know its locked!' Shouted the voice from inside the cell. 'Thing is what're you gonna do about it?'

'Will you shut up?' The cowboy took the cowboy approach and fired one round into the code pad, point black to lessen the noise, hoping that if Hyne was here that he would think it was just his prisoner banging. He and Zell took up their places on the right and left of the door and pushed, and pulled, it open. Quistis ran into the room, ignoring all protocol, such a lapse of judgement for someone normally so level headed. The rest of the group followed her into the makeshift cell. Sat, Chained to the far wall by one arm, was Seifer. He'd been using the thick part of the shackle to pound the wall, which was now dented heavily.

'About friggin' time!' He chastised them, 'Even Raijin could have found me faster than you four!' He grinned and added, 'Blind folded!' Zell shook his fist at the cocky-mouthed captive.

'How about some thanks, huh?' Seifer nodded.

'You know? you're right.' He turned to Quistis, 'Thank you for holding this chicken-wuss' hand all the way down here, instructor Trepe.' Before anyone could stop him, Zell darted forward, arm raised to attack.

'Zell, no!' Rinoa cried out, but it was too late. Years of repressed anger suddenly snapped. Unable to hold himself back, Zell brought his fist down towards Seifers head, Hatred burning in his eyes. There was enough power behind those five digits to level an elephant. Siefer watched closely, and with reflexes only years of training could provide, ducked his head at the last second, Raising his shackled arm up to where his head had been a moment before...

There was a clang, a screech of metal on metal and a sick organic cracking noise. The former captive stood up, Zells' fist had cut clean through the chain. 'Cheers chicken-wuss,' He grinned and patted Zell on the shoulder, 'I knew you'd come in handy one day.' Zells' anger was spent, he was panting, looking down at the mess that had once been his right hand. He watched the bones of the broken fingers slowly subside, sinking back from where they had punctured the skin, as his junctioned GFs' undid the damage.

'Well,' Came a soft voice from behind them, 'That was quite the display.' Irvine, who had been bringing up the rear, recognised the tone and spun around for his next tangle with God.

Indeed, Hyne had been stood behind him, just outside the door, watching them. The moment the gunner turned he was grabbed by the throat, thick black claws drawing blood.

'You an the blonde male, you never learn, either of you. How many times must I show you that I cannot be beaten?'

'Just...Once more.' Chocked Irvin who was trying to raise his gun. Hyne rolled his eyes,, black with club shaped pupil, and tutted.

'Again with the toys SeeD?' His hand tightened around Irvines' throat, raising him from the ground, above Hynes' head. He was holding The cowboy aloft in the doorway, using the man as a shield, blocking the others from attacking or escaping. It was over, they were powerless to help their friend, and they were being forced to watch the life be slowly chocked out of him, The guardian forces junctioned to Irvine fighting to keep their master alive.

The claws dug ever deeper, Irvine was forced to drop his gun in order to try and pry the fingers from his neck. Hyne laughed as the man in his grasp struggled.

'Squall, Stop!' Rinoa screamed, unable to take it, 'Don't do this!' The hold on Irvines' neck eased.

'The sorceress?' Rinoa pushed her way past the furious Zell, who had be watching of even the slightest opening, and stood beside Irvine, peering round him to see the figure of Hyne. He was just as Zell had described him, so definitely Squalls' body, But twisted into that of a monster. The great black wings were held close to his body, the tips of the longest feathers touching the ground. The feet were as the hands now, he stood on the balls of his feet, great black claws in place of nails. From his temples, crowning the face that still bore the resemblance of the man she loved, were two blood-red horns that curled at the tips. Similar growths of bone were jutting from the shoulders and the elbows, like blades. Rinoa couldn't help but be reminded by that dream so long ago...

_Was I being warned? but...this is not Griever. It's Hyne._

She placed a hand on the arm that held her friend, and felt as it lowered Irvine to get a better look at the Sorceress. Though he still maintained the hold on the neck, Irvine was no longer hanging in the air, the pressure had eased somewhat. 'Please,' Rinoa pleaded, 'Please, stop this Squall, We're your friends.' Hyne scoffed.

'Squall? This body may still bear a passing resemblance to the host, but I can assure you, he can't hear you, little girl. His spirit fell silent and stopped struggling days passed.'

'I don't believe that.' She reached out, gently placing a hand on Hynes' cheek, Squalls' cheek. His black eyes flickered, looking the woman in the face. 'Listen to me, I know you're in there somewhere...Squall, I-' The eyes flashed blue for a moment, a tiny moment, Rinoas' heart lept in her chest, but then the blue was replaced by black, and the look of deepest fury.

'How dare you,' Hissed Hyne, 'You would call out to this poor boys spirit? He's hiding, afraid to watch his former body slaughter those he loves, and you would call him to the surface?' The God gave a twisted grin, one Rinoa had never seen on that face before. 'Very well, You want Squall to be awakened? Then I'll have him here,' He tapped his head, 'Right here, so he can watch as I sear the flesh from your bones, and take your power for my own.' Irvine was cast back into the room, sent flying backwards with an almighty surge of energy, Hyne raised both hands above his head with a flourish that reminded them all so much of Ultimecia. He prepared to strike, fire blooming at his fingertips, the runes scored into his body glowing red. Zell darted forward to put himself between Rinoa and Hyne, and as he pushed her away, Rinoas' eyes caught the ones that were watching them all with such malice. Hyne brought a hand down, fire rushing forward...But the magic died before Rinoa even felt the heat of the blast. The would be God tried again, once more the flames blinked from existence, as though doused. He looked down at his hands, puzzled and trembling. 'My magic, Sorceress, what have you done?'

Quistis saw an opening and raised her whip high, bringing it down towards Hyne with an earsplitting crack. Rinoa had moved between them, catching the whips blow on her forearm, blood seeping through the soft blue cloth. 'Rinoa! Why would you stop me?' Rinoa shook her head, turning to face Hyne, who was still starring in horror at his hands. He looked up at Rinoa, eyes screaming hatred.

'Why can't I kill you?' He hissed 'I have more than enough power, How is it possible you're stopping me?' To the amazement of everyone, Rinoa stepped forward, reaching out to Hyne.

'Rinoa, Don't!' Seifer tried to push his way through to stop her, But Irvine grasped his coat. Still unable to speak, he just nodded towards the pair. Seifer stopped and watched, Rinoa was gazing into Hynes' eyes,one hand on either side of his face.

'It's alright, I know, You couldn't hurt me, could you Squall?' Rinoa smiled softly, taking in the features of the person before her. 'After all, you promised me, right? That you'd protect me?' The anger dropped from Hynes' features as though it had been a mask. 'R-Rinoa?' He whispered, the voice unsteady. The sorceress' eyes gleamed with tears.

'Yes, it's me. That's it Squall, Remember...' The face in her hands began to cry silently, the black tears stung as they ran over Rinoas' fingers, but she didn't care.

'Rinoa...' He looked her in the eye, 'Please, take this out of me.' He begged. Rinoa nodded and closed her eyes, preparing to draw out Hyne while Squall was still in control. A faint light filled the room, Rinoa and Squall both began to tremble with power...

'No!' Someone screeched from the corridor, bowling into the pair, breaking them apart. The spell was broken, Hyne had pushed the Sorceress away, the light still encompassing his body. He grabbed his head as though in pain and screamed.

'He, It can't be! He's fighting back!' The small touch from Rinoa had been enough to dislodge the God from Squalls' mind, enough to let him force the power from his mind. Hyne was expelled from Squalls' body in a blast to rival an explosion. The SeeD' and rino were thrown forward into the room, Squall hitting the floor with a heavy thud. Lokai, the one who had tried to stop the drawing, had been pushed back into the corridor, where he hit the wall with enough force to knock him out cold. It took a few minutes for the confusion to fade, and Irvine was on his feet first, gun pointing at the slumped, winged figure. The man tried to get up, struggling with the after effects of the blast on his body, and looked at the gun pointed his way.

'Do it, Kinneas, End it...You'd be doing me a favour.' He looked Irvine in the face. Though the body remained changed, the eyes were once again Squalls' steely blue. Irvine slowly lowered his weapon.

'Leo, is that you, man?' Squall nodded slowly, sliver hair covering his face.

'Yeah, for now at least...I can't feel him anymore.' Seifer raised an eyebrow before crouching down beside his rival.

'And why should we believe you? Tell me why I shouldn't snap your neck right now, I mean, you say Hyne is gone and all, but look, you still haven't changed back.' Rinoa glared at Seifer and pushed past him, kneeling by Squalls' side, one hand on his arm, the other helping him sit up, soft black feathers beneath her fingers.

'...You're right, Seifer, And I don't think I will be turning back.' He looked at Rinoa sadly, gesturing at his pale and rune-marked with a clawed hand. 'I was turned into this so my body could handle Hynes' power...I get the feeling that isn't something you can just reverse.' Zell knelt down before his friend.

'But, even if...even if you're stuck like this Squall, You can come back to Garden. We can explain what happen-' Squall shook his head.

'No, Zell. Look at me, Seifers' right, I've become a monster, No one could except me, not like this. After all, to everyone else...I'm the thing that's been killing people all over the world.' To everyones surprise, Rinoa slapped him. Hard.

'Do you really think that matters to us Squall? You swore to protect me from the exactly same thing, And as I recall you were the one that saved me.' Squall was speechless, holding his reddening cheek. 'You can be a real idiot sometimes, you know that Squall?' He was about to answer when there was a groan from the corridor. Seifer stepped over them, heading for the source.

'Rin, you draw that b'stard Hyne out of Squally, I'll take care of this little git.' He cracked his knuckles loudly. 'I owe him some pay back.' Seifer stooped and grabbed the professor by the collar, lifting him to head height. 'I hope you're ready for this, shorty.' He pulled back a fist, preparing to let fly at the small mans' face. Quistis and Zell stumbled forward, going to stop what, to them, looked like an attack on an innocent. Seifer suddenly froze, eyes locked with the of Lokai.

'Foolish Human, I AM IMMORTAL!' With a single hand, Lokai blasted Seifer back into the room, where he hit a wall with a nasty crack, out cold at once. Inside his new body, Hyne pulled the shadows around him, just as Squall had once done, and shot off through the cieling, crashing through the floors.

'Get him!,' Screamed the former host, 'Hynes' inside him now!' Irvine and Zell didn't waste a further second, and both charged off after the tiny God. Squall looked up at Rinoa, Sensing her unease, and smiled. 'Go,' he whispered, 'Go and finish this, for me.' Rinoa brushed fresh tears from her eyes, seeing the pain still holding her lovers body, the pain of the separation. Quistis placed a hand on her shoulder.

'Take my magic, He shouldn't be as strong if he's just jumped bodies.' The blonde was stern, as though Rinoa was one of her SeeD officers. 'I'll stay here and keep an eye on these two. We'll come up when we can.'

Rinoa bit her lip and looked from Quistis to Squall. 'I'll go,' She said at last, 'If you promise me something.' Though he looked so different now, Squalls' smile was still the same. He took her hand gently, ever aware of how sharp his claws were. 'I'll never leave you Rin, You know that...Now go.'

The room was filled with a strong purple glow as all Quistis' magic was drawn from her. The light filled Rinoa, Causing her to gasp faintly. She stopped one last time, kissed Squall tenderly on the lips, then Ran after Irvine and Zell.


	11. Sacrifice

**Chapter 12 : Sacrifice.**

_Summery: with Hyne gone from Squall, and now inhabiting the body of his over-zealous priest, do the Troupe finally have a shot at defeating him?_

_Notes: getting near the end now. I wanted to make this fic alot longer, ALOT longer, with more in depth chapters, but I have to go away at the end of the week..T-T and I dont know how long I'll be gone for... Im sorry if its seemed rushed everybody!_

It took Quistis at least twenty minutes to regain her composure, Having all the magic drained from you was an exhausting experience. Eyes still unfocused, she scrambled her way to where the unconscious Seifer lay. There were no obvious wounds, and his breathing was regular, nothing to worry about unduly. Quistis silently cursed her haste in giving up her magic to the sorceress, had she kept it for a moment longer she may have been able to revive the gunblader, giving them another ally...But then there was Squall to worry about. He lay Seifer down in the recovery position, justas her training told her to, before checking her pockets for a Phoenix down or potion.

'They won't work anymore,' rasped Squall from his place against the wall, 'If they were touched by the blast of Hyne jumping...the downs' will be useless...' True enough, Quistis pulled a red and yellow tuft from the pouch on her back, and watched it crumble to dust in her fingers. Every SeeD was told to keep the precious feathers away from large sources of magic, as the ambient mana in the air would draw from the bewitched fluff. If you threw a Phoenix down, at just the right time, into the path of a spell, you could amplify its power three or four times, but render the down useless. Normally the silk lining of SeeD issue bags had the properties to reflect the magic, (and the only reason everyone didn't wear silk all the time, was because there was no guarantee which way the spell would be deflected. The first few uniforms that garden had come up with had found the spells jumping between party members, and even into the holes for arms and neck, frying or freezing the cadet, but leaving the uniforms relatively untouched.) But it seemed the blast from the jump had been even too much for the bag to be able to deflect. Silk wasn't one hundred percent spell proof after all.

Quistis sighed and slid down the wall next to Squall, brushing the dust from her hands. 'Suppose I shouldn't have taken them all.' Another protocol broken, never give all your healing items to one person. 'The potions should still be alright,' She dug a tiny bottle from the bottom of the pouch, brushed the dust from it, and handed it to Squall. The bottle was no bigger than his thumb, filled with a crimson liquid. He took it gratefully and removed the stopper with one deft movement of a claw, before downing the bitter fluid in one gulp. A shudder spread through him, the red ones were good for physical tiredness and wounds, but tasted terrible.

'...Thank you.' He handed the bottle back and rested his head back against the cool metal, feeling the effects of the potion seeping into his aching bones. Quistis was looking at the sleeping Seifer.

'Can't you...You know, wake him up?' Squall looked at his, well Hynes', hand and flexed his fingers. He sighed and dropped the hand to his lap, shaking his head.

'I have almost no magic left, It's all I can do to hold it together for when Rinoa gets back...' He closed his eyes and tried to rest, hardly noticing as Quistis gently moved a strand of silver hair from his face.

'Does she know what she's done?' A pained look darted over Squalls' marked face, then faded as he nodded.

'Yes, I think she knew from the beginning...' He took a deep breath, that caused his chest to shake with the effort. 'I'm using what's left of the power she gave me, just to last until after the fight.' Squall frowned and looked at the ceiling, the single bulb set into the metal was flickering dully. '...I didn't want to go...this time, without saying goodbye.' He could feel Quistis' tear on his arm as she held it, a small gesture when a hug was not quite right.

'Bu, the potion, surely it helped right?' Squall chuckled.

'Yeah...It did, I'm not wrecked anymore, all I have to do is stay conscious now.' He gave Quistis a rare smile, one she could count the times seeing on one hand. 'You've bought me a few hours, maybe.' They both fell silent, Squall not wanting to talk and Quistis unsure what to say. It was a good few minutes, but Quistis couldn't let the question stew in her mind anymore.

'You were Hyne, part of him, right?' She sat up and looked at the young mans' face, his eyes closed. 'I...the others, do they stand a chance?' Squall did not open his eyes, but a very slight crease appeared at the side of his mouth.

'...If anyone could stop him, It's them. If they hadn't gotten him out of me...then maybe..I would have doubted they would have gotten out of it unscathed. Lokai's not a Sorcerer, he was just a willing host, the join is unstable...His body might not survive the transformation without his own magic to help heal him.' He was silent for a while, thinking. 'I wanted, to give Rinoa what was left of my power, to make the fight easier for her.'

'That would have killed you outright.'

'I'm dying anyway... Question is,' He shifted his weight, getting comfortable, 'Do I go out fighting or here on my ass?' Quistis couldn't help but notice the feathers that had been dislodged from his wings on the floor.

'Just shut up, Squall. Save your strength, when Rinoa's done beating Lokai then she can come give you more power...'

'And I'll become Hyna again.' He finished her sentence with the words she had been fearing. 'Even if we, she, beats him he is still present in all sorceress' the world over. Any fragment of their power can become Hyne in the right host.' The truth of the situation was finally sinking in. He closed his eyes again, stopping himself from showing any emotion. 'He did say something though...'

'Who?'

'Lokai, said something about Hyne was the one to give us guardian forces...I've been thinking... He said that anyone has the power to bring a GF into being.' Quistis nodded.

'With the right training, anyone can summon a guardian.' Squall shook his head.

'I don't think that's what he meant... Where do the Guardians come from?' The blonde thought for a moment, puzzled over the nature of the question.

'You think, he meant that...but that would mean GFs' were once people. That cant be the case.'

'Why not?'

'They don't look human.' The silver haired youth still had his eyes closed, deep in thought.

'I've always wondered...since that fight...where that, where he came from...How did she get him out of my head? But, I think, I understand...Quistis? would you do me a favour, one final thing for me?' Quistis looked into the eye of her former student, half concerned, half angry. 'Not if you keep talking like that,' She snapped, the tone was betrayed by the fact that tears were once again glistening on her cheeks. Squall smiled again, twice in such a short time, his eyes full of kindly resolve. 'Please, Quistis, Just one thing?' She sighed and looked at his hand, her own wrapping itself around it, holding it tight.

'Name it.' She whispered. Squall squeezed her hand gently in thanks, allowing himself to relax.

'Help me,' He breathed, 'Help me protect Rinoa...' And he fell still, hand going limp in her own, his head lolled down onto his chest. The tears he had been holding back now broke free, trailing down his cheeks, leaving black trails. Quistis fought back the urge to sob, collecting the still man into her arms, unable to keep herself from crying.

'Is this how you planned to protect her?' She shouted, suddenly angry, 'By dying? You said you were going to wait for her!' She held his head to her chest, in a motherly embrace, and wept. 'You were supposed to be her knight! I bought you a few hours, and you give them up for a story.' She bit her lip, fighting the scream that was growing inside her chest. 'You were right, all those times.' her voice was little more than a whisper. 'When you spoke of how getting close to people would only lead to pain. I wouldn't have tried to convince you otherwise...If I'd known it hurt this much.' Quistis threw back her head and screamed, crying out in a pain and anguish, clasping Squalls' limp body to hers. 'Tell me then!' she screamed, 'Tell me how you plan to protect her!' The scream broke into a sob, and it was all she could do to cradle the cooling body in her arms.

Seifer groaned and rubbed his head slowly, sitting up. 'Oh, man what a rough night.' He looked up and spotted Quistis, 'Hey Instructor, what-?' He spotted Squall, and the tears on Quistis' cheeks, and fell silent. Though he was stubborn, Seifer wasn't stupid, he knew enough from this tableau to be able to guess what had happened. Somewhere, deep inside, it ate him up to see the Instructor crying over his rival like that...But it was masked by the sense of loss he felt. The two had never really gotten along, but Squall had been one of the few people he had respected, and was the closest thing he had ever had to a brother. The two mourned silently, before Quistis slowly laid Squall down, Gently kissing his forehead. 'We need to go,' She whispered finally, 'I promised I'd help protect Rinoa.' Seifer sighed deeply, glancing at the face of his fallen friend, it looked like Squall was just sleeping...

'Alright.' He nodded. 'Can't leave them to fight Hyne all on their own.' He went to get up, but fell back suddenly, pushed by a feirce light. 'What's happening?' he called, shielding his eyes. Somewhere, surrounded by light, Quistis screamed.

'Seifer! Help me! Help me -' Her scream stopped suddenly, warm filled her as the light began to take form, sinking below her skin in tiny darts. An overwhelming feeling of love, of strength, flowed into her.

_So this is his devotion to Rinoa?_

_Yes, _The light replied_, The light of a fallen knights wish to protect his charge. This is how things begin, Quistis Trepe, History starts here. Do not hold back, do not keep yourself from me..Give your everything to my power and you shall forever be a part of him, in death as you never could in life..._

The light and voice faded, Leaving Quistis panting, and Squalls' body was gone. Power buzzed at the back of her skull, the headmistress could feel the GFs she had junctioned shrinking back, actually un-junctioning themselves to make room for this new force, the owner of the strange voice and aura of mourning. She looked down at where she had left Squall laying, and smiled faintly, sparks playing about her fingers.

'Part of him, as I never could In life.' She shot Seifer, who was blinking, puzzled and slack jawed at the vanishing corpse, a look, before hurrying into the corridor. Seifer gathered himself, jumping to his feet and gave chase, pausing only to dart into the lab that Lokai had fashioned, to grab his gunblade from a scrap pile. 'Quistis!' He shouted, 'Instructor Trepe, wait!' But Quistis did not stop.

She knew what she must do.

Above ground, the battle was raging, explosions of magic rocked the very foundations of the mountains. Laguna had one hand firmly jammed into his hair, holding it out of his face, the other was clasped around the joystick of the Ragnaroks' cannons. He had learned that the blasts were far to dangerous to be aiming at Lokai, not when the others were on the field too, and was using the highly focused blasts to shatter any falling rocks that had been dislodged by the fight. He could not completely destroy the rocks, but being showered in pebbles is better than being squashed flat. Hyne was using the terrain to his advantage, leaping from rock to rock, two poorly formed wings on his backhelping to keep his balance. Rinoa was perched, brilliant white light surrounding her, on the roof of the building, throwing spell after spell at the half changed, half crazed Lokai.

The professors' small body was no match for zells' lean, well trained, martial artists form, and was out maneuvered every time. Zell would leap to a rock higher than the one Hyne had landed on, Throwing a rain of punches down, showering him in rocks and forcing him to dart left or right. Irvine was stood, rifle trained on the small, winged figure, firing shot after shot, not intending to hit the man.

'Turn, Left!' He grinned and fired bullets that pulverized the rocks to Hynes' right, forcing him into the path of one of Rinoas' blasts. Hyne brought down his hand in a flourish of sparks, the blast deflecting upwards towards Zell. Zell saw the attack coming, grabbed a passing chunk of granite and, using skills developed after years of using a hover board, brought it under his feet just as the spell struck. The rock shattered, absorbing the magic, but Zell used the force to back flip away from the tirade of ice Hyne had thrown his way, fingers spread into a fan, landing perfectly on the balls of his feet. Immediately he dived to the left, avoiding a strike of lightning that lit the ground, turning it red hot. The hairs on Zells' head stood up straighter than normal, and he could feel his teeth ringing with the static.

The boulder of ice that had been hovering over the spot, waiting for Zell to dodge, was blasted apart by a shot from Ragnarok, Soaking the ground and its intended target with slush.

'Oh, Cheers laguna!' He shouted, shaking himself like a dog to lose the ice, and raising one, carefully chosen finger towards the cock pit. Laguna grinned and let go of his hair long enough to hit the button for the P.A.

'Bite me, next time I'll let it fall.' Zell grinned back and ran forward, chasing the new host. It may have seemed to anyone watching to be just a game of cat and mouse, one being chased by three, with no real intention to kill the target. Rinoa was holding back, her wings not visible, indeed she did mean to kill Lokai, knowing full well that if she did then Hyne would just try to jump to one of her companions. Hyne had absorbed enough energy from his victims to force himself into another body, one without any previous magic or even willingness, but judging from what it was doing to Lokais' body it was not a good idea.

All they needed to do, was wear him down enough for Rinoa to draw him out..

Lokais' small form had mutated terribly with the power he had received. Whereas Squall had the magic to help his body survive the process, the professor did not. However his mind was willing, making him more suitable a host than Zell or Irvine, he did not have to wrestle for control. Lokai grabbed a portion of the building with one clawed hand, which was longer than his body, and scooped a great chunk out, flinging it at Irvine. Not only had the man gained magic from the transfer, but he was incredibly strong for his size. The laser cannon of the airship swung round, trying to get to the shard before it struck the cowboy. Irvine jumped, diving out of the way, just as the huge scrap crashed into his former position. The Ragnarok fired a second too late, hiting the metal as it lay on the ground, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. One hit Irvine in the calf with a massive jet of crimson. Zell ground his teeth together, pushing himself from the mountain side in a free fall. He wrapped a gloved fist around the ragged wing that adorned Hynes' left shoulder, and pulled him down. The bones underneath his hand cracked loudly, but The God seemed indifferent to the pain of his host, He swung around, seconds from the ground, and planted his feet squarely on Zells' chest. The pair hit the ground in a cloud of powdered rock. The force with which Zell had hit the ground, and snapped backwards, ripped the wing from its socket with a disgusting wrenching sound. Irvine was crouched, blood staining the ground and aimed a shot at the small mans head. The sound filled the valley, an almighty crack tore through the air. Laguna jumped forward, peering out the window. He glanced at ward who had been running too and fro, repairing the magical damage to the ship. 'Did it hit?'

The clouds slowly parted, and Laguna felt the cold, of the ice he had covered Zell in, hit his stomach.

Lokai stood, lop-sided, on Zells' chest, one foot depressed a bit too far into the body for Zell to be undamaged. He was resting heavily on his one, long, arm, the other before him, shining brilliant silver. He had deflected it! Laguna punched the dash board control and swore loudly. Ward grabbed his shoulder and spun him round in his swivel chair towards the building. Rinoa was standing, holding her shoulder, blood pouring from between her fingers.

'That, He hit Rinoa with the bullet meant for him!' Irvine sat down slowly, tired from the loss of blood from the severed artery in his leg. He looked up at the windscreen, face contorted in pain and said something that made the presidents' leg suddenly cramp up.

'That was a sliencing bullet...' Hyne laughed, head thrown back, cackling to the sky. He twisted his foot deeper into Zells' chest, causing the blonde to cough and splutter, blood staining his lips.

'Foolish, Idiot, Mortals! I warned you, time and again that you could not win! I even offered you the chance to face me with all your power, with SeeD behind you, and you did not heed me.' He stamped a foot, making Zell jerk and cry out. Rinoa sunk to her knees, unable even to whimper thanks to Irvines bullet. 'I believe,' Hyne grinned at the cock pit, knowing full well Laguna would not shoot while he was stood on Zell, 'That I have let you lead this merry dance for far too long.' He looked down at the bloodstained face of the man he was stood upon, and spat. 'You make me sick, Humans. I was once so merciful, so full of love and caring for you, my children.' He laughed again, crouching to look Zell in the eye. 'I created you, not out of laziness, but out of loneliness, And while I recovered from creating my children, they took it upon themselves to colonise the planet, filling every corner. Then what do you do on my reutrn?' He sneered, 'You attack the father, demanding more from him. I tried to make you again, to make you whole but you wouldn't let me. You cherished your pathetic half-lives far too much. I was forced to give you all my compassion, all my mercy and all my patience.' He looked up at the cockpit again. 'You hear that? You did this, you stole all my love, you brought this on yourselves with your selfishness.' Hyne stood, shadows gathering to him once again. The stump of wing on his shoulder began to twitch, healing itself, regrowing. 'You made me the angry monster I am today, and then left me to rot! Do you know what it was like? trapped in the silence for so long? A massive burst of power knocked Hyne backwards. He was only just able to compose himself in time to see Seifer and Quistis come running from the doorway.

'No, I have no idea shorty,' Shouted Seifer, aiming his blade at the stunned creature, 'And if you keep yapping, no one will ever know, will they?' He looked behind to where Irvine sat, pale and grinning.

'About time, never thought I'd be pleased to see ya' Seifer.' The grin was returned.

'Hold on to your hat cowboy, I get the feelin' we're about to see something truly spectacular.' He threw something small and crimson Irvines way, he caught it with ease. The potion was immediately applied to his open wound, healing it almost instantly. Irvine stood shakily, still suffering blood loss and nodded his thanks. 'Where's Squally then?' Seifer frowned then gave another smile before pointing toward Quistis.

'Believe it or not, he's there.' Quistis was facing Hyne, Crouching beside Zells' broken body.

_Allow me, _came the voice once more, _Injuries of this nature are easily enough healed. Just allow me to reach out... _Quistis took Zells' hand instinctively, letting the force inside her do its work.

_He will be better, soon. Best let him lay still so his bones set. _Quistis shot the amazed Zell a look that made him lay back, the power of the voice in her head glowing in her eyes. She stood up and took a step forward, towards Hyne.

'You,' She hissed. 'You call yourself God. You bring misery and death in your wake, and you expect us to bow down and accept our fate?' Her voice rang with the echoing tones of the benevolent power in her veins. Rinoa slowly made her way down from the roof, heading to where Seifer and Irvine stood, watching. Hyne growled at the ex-instructor.

'Insolent, that's the word for you. I don't expect you to do anything, I know you will bow before me!' He brought his arm down in an arc through the air, Ice instantly taking form and flying towards Quistis. There was a crack, and the ice shattered into dust. Quistis smiled softly and let her whip trail to the floor once again. Hyne looked at her with fear playing about his expression.

'How did you-?' Quistis shook her head.

'You claim to be a god, the one who created us...Yet you underestimate us so terribly.' Her lips pulled back into a sneer and she raised one hand to the sky. 'This is the power you gave us, You did this, you brought this apon yourself!' she shouted these words, the echo in her voice shaking the ground. Rinoa watched, silent and terrified, at the clouds above Quistis parted, revealing black night sky. Red lightning cracked the ground, sending rocks into the air, where they hung, suspended by some terrible force. Hyne was speechless, he threw spell after spell at the woman before him, but none reached. It was as though the air around her were swallowing the magic before they could even get within ten feet of the target.

'Impossible!' He screamed. 'There is not a force on this world that could Rival mine, I am God!.' Quistis' eyes glowed an eerie amber.

_'And we,'_ she spoke, words resonating inside the head of everyone present, _'are man. We have seen what you have done...and we grieve.'_

The light that had filled her began to fill the air, the ground before her trembling, light shooting up from cracks like geysers, spilling over the floor as though fluid. Everyone except Quistis sheilded their eyes, as the white light became blindingly bright. The very earth before Hyne was torn back, mud and rocks flying, as a great clawed hand reached up to pull itself free. A tremendous roar rocked the very air, sending a familiar shiver down the spines over the SeeDs' present.

'It cant be!' Zell covered his eyes, trying his best to shield himself without moving from where he had fallen. The grey head head of a great, and proud lion king, crowned with crimson horns, rose from the rend in the earth. A flowing silver mane trailing down its back, meeting two white feathered wings as the sprouted from the creatures back. A tail that ended in a thick, curved blade scythed through the air, cleaving the rocks and mountain side, creating a landslide that was shaken into powder by another, heart stopping roar. Blood red sword of bone pushed their way through the lions arms, just below the elbows, where they fanned out, sharp and terrifyingly deadly.

'It's Griever...' Gasped Irvine. 'Where did he, Where did Quistis find him?' Seifer didn't take his eyes from the summon beast.

'If I understood correctly...That's Squall.' Rinoas' mouth opened, mouthing silently, tears forming in her eyes. Hyne slowly backed up, Recognising the power of the newly born Guardian force, and fearing it. Quistis narrowed her eyes, eyes that mirrored that of her summon, and hissed.

_We shall show you all the mercy you have shown us, Hyne. Your right to rule has long since passed. Now, Is the age of man, Behold what they can do._

The voice was inside every ones head at once, A deep voice of restrained Fury, belonging to Griever itself, twinned with that of Squall, and Quistis' own. Rinoa clasped a hand to her mouth, sobbing though none could hear, realising the terrible truth. Quistis raised her hand once more, passion of the battle rising in her voice as she cried out, ordering the final attack.

**'SHOCKWAVE PULSAR!'**

Griever reared its head, leaping backwards, paw out behind him, crouched on his hind legs. Seifer started when he realised the summon was looking at him. No words were spoken, and the exchange lasted less than a second, but Seifer charged forward, climbing onto the outstretched paw. Griever roared once more, Bands of light surrounded Hyne, who fought desperately to break them. The light tightened, forming a solid ball of energy around the man, lifting him into the air, where, surrounded by clouds, it imploded. The sky seemed to rip and tear as the Ball collapsed in on itself, pulling the force of it so thin, and yet so focused, the it seemed even gravity was pulled towards it. Seifer was thrown into the air by the beast, sending him above the shrieking Hyne, Trapped in the seemingly endless series of explosions. He twirled his gunblade, and fired off a blast of fire magic. It sunk into the mass of swirling energy, dispelling it in an instant, exposing the torn and wrecked body of the host.

'Here goes!' Cried the swordsman, blade before him, pulsing with energy. 'You asked for it, **No mercy**!' He dived, driving the gunblade straight through Lokais' chest like paper, crashing him to the ground., But Seifer was not done yet. He Grinned, an evil grin, at the man pinned, skewered on his blade, and pulled the trigger.

The gunblade is not, as most people seem to think, a gun attached to a blade. It is in fact, a sword that applies the principle behind the firing of a bullet, in order to make its attacks all the more devastating. The chambers of the gun component, the barrel, are filled with rounds of gunpowder that, when fired, hit a thick block of solid adamantium. This sends a pulse of energy that vibrates the blade to the point where, the resulting damage to human of monster flesh, is none too dissimilar to that of stabbing someone with a chainsaw...then turning it on. The wielder if the blade would have to train hard to withstand the recoil, and dedicate hours of maintenance to the deadly weapon.

Lokais' back arched, blood spraying the ground and Siefer alike as the shock wave finished it terrible duty. Rinoa, guided by Irvine, raised a hand to draw Hyne from the host. Blue light shone from the still jerking body, before entering Rinoa. Lokai fell still. Seifer drew his sword from the body and looked up at the great lion behind him.

'Cheers Squall.' The beast gave a low growl before lowering its' head down to face Rinoa. The amber eyes shone and turned blue, Squall looking at her from behind them. He breathed, a small sigh, and Rinoas wounds' were healed. He had dispelled her silence while Seifer was busy pulling the trigger. The sorceress reached out, and touched the snout of the summon, who inclined his head to allow her to stroke it.

'Squall..You...You came to protect me, didn't you?' Griever blinked and let out a low whine. Rinoa flung are arms around the beasts neck and sobbed into its silver mane. Tears rolled down the lions snout before Irvine stepped forward.

'Rin...Rin, I think...I think it's time to let him go...' Rinoa looked up at Squall, not wishing to believe it.

'You...You can't come back can you...' Quistis rested a hand on her shoulder.

'Rinoa...He became Griever to save you...He gave up his body to become a Guardian force. He'll...always be there when you need him...but he can't stay with you...not always, not as Squall.'

The sorceress watched as Griever, the terrible force they had fought and the man she loved with all her soul, began to glow, turning into a billion shining lights, darting into the ring she wore around her neck. She held the Griever ring in her hand, feeling its warmth, before turning to Irvine and sobbing into his coat. Zell slowly got to his feet and made his way to the group, all of who were watching Rinoa, as she wept for her lost Squall. He looked to Quistis, sorrow etched on his face.

'Is it over?' he asked quietly, 'Did we win?' Quistis shook her head.

'We didn't win...but..' She looked at the ring around Rinoas' neck, then up at the cockpit of the Ragnarok, where Laguna was straining to see what had happened

'It's finally over.'


End file.
